Fracture
by Mercaba
Summary: Keitaro finally got hit one time to many and plans to leave. Faced with the fact that they're going to lose him the girls come to terms with their feelings
1. Chapter 1

Standard Disclaimer

Well here I am starting another story. First Love Hina story so bear with it?

X-X

Fracture

Chapter 1

Nothing is indestructible. Some things are more durable than others of course, but nothing is totally indestructible. Keitaro Urashima was far more durable than his tenets in the Hinata dorm, but only in body. Call it his heart, spirit, or even his soul whatever you think of it as was ready to sunder. Many things had happened to him since he mistakenly walked through the doors thinking it was still an inn. Some were good and some bad but through it all he had his dream and his hopes. Going to Todai, meeting his promise girl, falling in love, and nice simply life after.

But sitting in Naru's room at the kotetsu with the room's occupant to his right and likely the best friend he ever had, Mutsumi Otohime, on his left, studying together things seemed bleak. Naru was still upset over the events two weeks past, his near betrothal to the resident sword maiden, so her words were terse and painful for him. "Keitaro I don't know why you're even bothering with this. You're not going to be able to go to class this semester so why are you bothering us by trying?" she finally asked as she shut her book.

Smiling softly at the pair, Mutsumi tilted her head. "Because he doesn't want to slip back down?" she said softly. The Okinawan couldn't very well tell Naru she didn't want Keitaro to leave the room for personal reasons, Mutsumi knew Naru to well for that. "And he isn't hurting anything by learning is he?"

Nodding to Mustumi's logic, Keitaro grinned a little, "It took so much effort to get into Todai I'd hate to mess up once I finally get to go to class." And the added benefit of being in Naru's presence was a boon. He was still so smitten by her, even though with every punch and accusation he felt it dwindle more, that he wanted to spend as much time together as possible. But his hope was running dry on an empty tank that was his heart.

Huffing out a loud sigh, Naru crossed her arms under her chest. Why was Mutsumi encouraging this? "Well I'm sorry Keitaro but your questions are disturbing me alright? We have a test in this coming up, but you don't. Plus you keep asking annoying questions." Naru slapped the Biology book hard. "So could you just get out of here and leave us to study in peace?"

Her words rang true but Keitaro couldn't accept it. Getting up he balked at her, "But I'm not trying to cause you any problems." Was she still angry about the thing with Motoko and her sister, was that why she was so mean? _What will it take to make her understand me?_ He hated how she was always so quick to judge yet so resistant to compliment him.

It pained Mutsumi to hear such tender care in Keitaro's words directed at Naru only to be received with contempt. Mutsumi cherished both Keitaro and Naru, loved them dearly and had such high hopes that Naru would drop her defenses and let Keitaro into her heart. "Kei-kun is right Na-chan," she used her calmest voice and the terms for her friends to best sooth Naru. "His questions are helping you to remember aren't they?"

"I don't care. This has to end now Keitaro, and Mutsumi you know it," Naru was no longer thinking logically about it, emotions flooding her mind. She just got so confused when Keitaro was involved. Part of the girl reveled in the attention he lavished upon her, but the dominant part of her brain wanted control over him, to have him look at her and only her. She hated him and loved him equally. "We can't hold this idiot's hand forever like we did to get him into Todai. He'll just hold us back and keep us from getting our dreams. Sorry Keitaro but I'm done with it."

Each word penetrated his heart deeper than the last. She didn't trust him at all after all this time. "But Naru you can't mean that…I mean I've gotten so much better with your help." He took a step forward, and had Mutsumi not shifted her legs in order to get up and help defend her friend things would have been different. The impasse of fate of all the residents of Hinata house was about to shift because of an act of compassion. Catching Mutsumi's leg with his shin, Keitaro stumbled forward. One hand landed on the kotetsu while the other fell firmly on Naru's right breast. For a brief moment Keitaro felt through the cloth to realize Naru wasn't wearing a bra. "Oh God…sorry Naru it was an…"

As usual, Naru didn't let the man finish and didn't care that she knew it wasn't on purpose that he did it. "That does it! I'm through with you! You damn pervert!" Mutsumi opened her mouth to speak, her hand reached out to stop Naru but it was too late. A patent pending Naru punch sent the one time ronin through the roof and flying towards his aunts Teahouse. Watching him fly with a smug grin on her face, Naru turned back to Mutsumi and her studies. "Finally! Now with him gone again we can get back to our studies." But Naru didn't see Mutsumi opening her book again. No she just caught the sad look on her face. "What? He deserved it anyway, for touching my breast like some filthy little pervert."

"Na-chan that's not what happened and you know it," Mutsumi had seen it with her own eyes and it troubled her. Naru had so many times been given what others wanted only to squander it. Mutsumi's hope for Naru and Keitaro seemed so fruitless now. A dream was all it would remain. "I tripped him on accident and that is why he fell. You hit him because you never let him explain. You just keep hurting him Na-chan. And I can't stand by and watch you do it anymore." Gathering her books into a bag, the anemic girl got to her feet and left the room without even a goodbye.

Flabbergasted at the sudden shift in atmosphere, Naru watched her door softly close. The wind from the hole Keitaro created had done the job where Mutsumi had left it open. "What just happened?" she asked herself. One moment everything is going on like normal. Study group, punishment, and the next thing would have been Keitaro coming back in to apologize. But that isn't what happened was it? The cold night air chilled her, or was it her conscious saying that maybe she really had been in the wrong. _It's ok…he'll apologize to me and I'll apologize to Mutsumi and everything will be normal._

Only things weren't going to go as she wanted, because nothing is indestructible. With her punch she had broke what remained of Keitaro's fragile heart.

X-X

Lying in the dirt behind Haruka's shop, staring up at the moon Keitaro had finally given in. The moon, a small crescent, appeared to be smiling at him from up in the heavens. It mocked him for the audacity to dream the simple things that caring men do. He wanted to cry but refused to as he always did. Nobody needed to know how he suffered, nobody cared he thought. To Kitsune he was a walking bank or a way to have some free fun. Motoko saw him as a 'vile and perverted' male and a test dummy for her special arts. And the girl of his dreams saw him as a stupid letch that only held her back.

Sure Mutsumi, Shinobu, and Su were pleasant company for him if not downright friendly but he couldn't see it clearly in his depression. The dark brown haired and generously endowed Okinawan could do better than him for a lover if she considered it, Shinobu would get over her appreciation for him, and Su had her real brother and didn't need a pale imitation. They didn't need him so he was going to leave. He would gather up his shattered hopes and dreams and start anew someplace else. Aim lower than ever before and hope he didn't starve to death. "Why must life be so hard?" he asked in a broken voice.

"Who's out there?" a sharp voice called from the now open door to the teahouse. Hearing the crash, Haruka had thought it was her nephew but if it was him why hadn't he come in yet? He was always so quick to enter and confess the crime he had committed to her over a free cup of tea. "Keitaro is that you?"

His aching jaw made talking painful but he answered regardless. "Yeah it's me Aunt Haruka," he slipped again. Why she hated being called 'Aunt' now when she had forced him to when they were younger mystified the man's mind. The whap of the fan followed as expected, and a helpful hand pulled him up. "Sorry about that Haruka-san."

It was his voice, warbled and soft, that tipped her off that this little crash had done more damage than usual. "Want to come in for a cup of tea?" she asked taking a deep drag of her cigarette. In the pale light streaming out from her shop her nephew looked haggard and decrepit. "Maybe a piece of pie, have one last piece of cherry left from this morning."

Letting himself be led into the small shop, its warm light and the smell of antique wood warmed him. Stale smoke mixed with hot tea when his aunt set a plate of pie and a cup of tea in front of him, her smoke right in his face. "Thanks Haruka-san." He'd have to tell her first about his plans, maybe she'd have some words of advice for him now that he going to strike it off on his own. _She's going to be mad though. She'll have to do more work in the dorm with me gone. _It wasn't his intent to inconvenience her but it just hurt so much. Each hit, scream, accusation, and prank stealing more of his light and happiness until he sat as he did now, broken.

"Are you going to tell me what you did to get sent here or you just going to look at your tea?" Haruka asked mindful that she still had several customers mingling about the building. They were regulars so they'd not be upset if she wasn't waiting on them like a dutiful owner should. She'd seen Keitaro down before, but this was something different, something unsettling.

Bringing the cup to his lips and taking a long draught of it, bitter just like he liked it, Keitaro felt the liquid burn all the way down to his stomach. "I'm going to leave Haruka." Just saying it caused his body to quiver slightly. He didn't want to leave, he loved this place and all his tenants but it hurt too much to stay. "I wasn't really sure of it when I landed but I am now." Clumsy with the fork she had given him for the pie, he fumbled to get the food into his mouth.

Spotting a flash of red and white in the corner of her eyes, Haruka saw the trailing black hair of Motoko. _Wonder what she was here for, but more importantly what will she do after hearing what he just said. _Inhaling the last of her cigarette, Haruka digested Keitaro's words. It wasn't like the other times he hinted at leaving, this time he had no reservation in his voice. Something drove him to this, "Any reason why Keitaro?"

Giggling a little, Keitaro finished his pie. It was funny. He was laughing and fighting so hard not to cry at the same time. "It hurts Haruka. It hurts so bad that I can barely go through the day sometimes." The dam was broken, once he started to confess he couldn't hold it back. "I try so hard to make them happy, to give them a good life here but all I get in return is pain." He sniffed hard hoping his eyes weren't turning red. They were.

Listening in silence, Haruka's anger was slowly being stoked into a mighty bonfire. What were those girls doing to her nephew! "Go on Keitaro, get it all out. You'll feel better if you do." Bullshit but she wanted, no needed to know all of it. She'd deal with the girls later, for now she had family to attend to. Never breaking her stoic expression, Haruka patted Keitaro's shoulder.

Drinking more tea with shaking hands, he almost dropped the cup. "It's just all this time I spent with them. All I try to do just seems to get messed up. I've heard 'Keitaro the pervert' and 'Keitaro the idiot' so many times now that I can't stand it." Was it his fault he was a little slow at times or a little clumsy? "I'm not angry at them for it, I know they have issues with men, but it still hurts." He couldn't hate them even if he tried, which he did once but he failed.

"Have you thought about eviction?" Haruka said the word easily. Kick the ungrateful cunts to the curb! How could they see this man as anything other than the prince he was damn it! He tended to their every whim and they repaid him with punches and insults. "You are the manager so you could simply kick them out."

Keitaro's head jerked back as if he'd been smacked. "No!" His eyes blazed at Haruka for a moment for even suggesting such a thing. Several moments of silence passed before he spoke again in his soft tone. "No Haruka I can't do that. They all have some family problems and I won't force them to go back to them." He wouldn't hurt them because they had hurt him. He wasn't that type of guy. "It's just easier for me to go."

The finality of his voice caused Haruka's mask to falter momentarily, she frowned deeply. "So it's ok for you to suffer more because you don't want them to go through minor inconveniences? You'll take even more on yourself because you don't want them to?" She knew the answer before she asked the question, of course it was yes. He put them ahead of himself at every turn, and where he should be loved for it he was treated as an abused slave instead.

He smiled at her, held her hand for a moment, and nodded. "I said it already. I care about all of them to much to make them suffer because of me." His smile, withered from weeks of constant abuse, was still dopy and happy. Finishing the last of the tea, he set the cup down with a soft tink as the porcelain met the table. "I'm going to gather my things tonight and leave before they wake up tomorrow. I'll put an ad in the paper looking for a new manager to take over for me, can you cover till then?"

If it was anything she hated about Keitaro it was that smile, it destroyed all of her defenses. "Don't Keitaro. Don't go alright?" At first Haruka wasn't going to suggest anything, let Keitaro make his own way through life, but not this. He couldn't leave like this! "Give it a week and see if things don't get better alright?"

The conviction he held, wavered under Haruka's request. Possibly he didn't want to go, he didn't, but hearing her ask him to stay where she never asked for anything he folded. "I'll wait a week but I'll be looking for my replacement while I'm here. Deal?" He held his hand out and when she took it gave it a firm shake. "Thanks for the tea Haruka-san."

"Don't mention it, it's what family is for," she made a small hand gesture, batting away his compliment. "You get a good night sleep and I bet everything is better in the morning." She doubted it would be but she had to hope right? Watching her nephew get up and walk away, she felt a snap in her hands. The chop sticks she was holding to keep herself calm and broken in her hands. They had snapped into a myriad of splinters and dust. She was beyond angry now, she was furious!

X-X

Walking up the long set of stairs from the tea house to the dorm proper, Motoko didn't know how she felt. Initially she went down to Haruka's to hopefully get a few tea leaves to brew herself something soothing to drink while she studied, not to spy. However she heard it, Keitaro's plan. There had been a time when hearing that the lecherous male was leaving would have set Motoko's heart aflutter. But after the ordeal with her sister she wasn't so sure how she felt about him going.

No flu could be blamed for her feelings now, or the confusing ache in her heart that was growing from a dull pinch to a cacophony of agony. A life without Keitaro, a dorm without his silly yet heartfelt smile, could she live like that? Worse was the question of how much of his planning to leave was her fault? Not all of it but a damn big chunk she suspected. "The others must hear of this." What good it could do though if he really meant to leave them though she didn't know.

Though one thing about his plan to vacate the premises was a good thing a small part of her mind noticed. _If he is willing to leave then he has gotten over his feelings for Narusagawa. _If that were the case could somebody else take Naru's place, somebody like her? Motoko's forward momentum stopped when that thought hit her. Keitaro and her together? Slapping her cheeks, more roughly than intended, Motoko banished such thoughts to the void that spawned them. "I do not have feelings for that man," she lied to herself.

Either way the girls needed to hear that their manager was planning an escape. Getting up the last of the stairs Motoko saw the door opening. The loving Otohime was walking out with a sour expression on her face. Motoko ventured, "Leaving so soon Otohime-sempai I was planning on calling a meeting of the residents and I think you would like to hear what I must say." For whatever reason Mutsumi had feelings for Keitaro, Motoko couldn't fathom. The girl was as kind as a saint, beautiful, and her breasts even stoked a small flame of jealousy in the sword mistress.

Not angry with Motoko, well not too much, Mutsumi's smile returned to her face as if putting on a well worn pair of gloves. "Oh Motoko-chan I'm sorry but I'm not in a very good mood at the moment. Naru-san did a rather tasteless thing and I was hoping to find Kei-kun and talk to him." She meant do a hell of a lot more than just talk to the man she loved, but that would have to wait. _I am sorry Naru but I will not hold back my heart any longer for you. I gave you every chance to be with him but you wasted them all. _ The kind hearted girl from Okinawa was taking off the kid gloves.

What did Naru do this time and was that the real reason Keitaro planned on leaving? Motoko would have to ask the short tempered girl later, but now she had to deal with Mutsumi. "It's about Urashima actually Otohime-sempai," on saying his name Motoko saw she got Mutsumi's attention. Never had she seen the soft spoken girl's eyes turn hard. Under the woman's gaze Motoko found herself a little skittish, "He's actually planning on leaving the dorm and finding a replacement for himself."

Walking the short distance to stand squarely in front of the raven haired woman, Mutsumi's grin slipped. "So it's finally come down to this has it? I had such great expectations for Naru and Kei-kun but that seems impossible now. I even thought maybe you would be able to make him happy, but no. You two only saw fit to hurt him," looked down the stairs at the tea shop she sighed heavily. "It is a shame you couldn't see him for the wonderful man that he is." Saying no more Mutsumi walked away from the stunned woman. She went looking for Keitaro but fainted into a bush half way down the stairs and when Keitaro did walk past was to well hidden to be spotted.

With Mutsumi gone, Motoko walked into the dorm and right to the common room. "Everyone get down here now!" she called the assembly to order. Yes it was late, almost ten, but this had to be taken care of quickly, or even if they did tried something to keep their manager they might not have the time needed. _Why did she say those things to me…Urashima isn't a wonderful man at all he's just…just a…_But even in her mind she couldn't really come up with anything she believed anymore. Calling out again, louder this time, she saw Su walking down the steps rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

Waiting for the others, she heard footsteps so stopped yelling, Motoko tried again to demonize the man she in her secret heart knew she cared for deeply. If he was a pervert wouldn't he have taken her virginity already? She had offered it to him during her banishment from the school but he refused. She wanted to call him an idiot, but he did succeed in getting into Todai. Again and again she hoped to find something about the man to pick apart to make him leaving sound good.

She couldn't! Not one damn thing did he do wrong to anybody at the dorm on purpose. He gave and gave and gave to them without taking anything back. _Oh my, could Mutsumi have been right?_ It was an epiphany, as if the light of heaven struck her down. Just how much did that man do for her and all the other girls here? Short answer was a lot.

By the time Motoko recovered from her mental trip the last resident called was taking her seat on the couch. Kitsune slinked in much like the fox she was named after and curled up with her racing form on her lap. "Hun you better have a good reason to pull me away from my horses. I have to win big or I'm in a ton of trouble. Money is tight right now." With the horses failing her and her articles not selling either she was in the hot spot. Blacklisted freelancer's were a death knell to a career.

"Yeah Motoko I was finishing up some studying so can you make this quick?" Naru fibbed. She had just been sitting in her room waiting for Keitaro to show up and apologize like always, and trying to get Mutsumi's hurt face out of her memory. What was taking him so long this time?

Shinobu and Su sat dazed on the loveseat in a semi sleep. They didn't know what really to expect from a sudden meeting in the middle of the night but if it was really important Keitaro would be there. "Are we going to wait for Sempai?" Shinobu asked after a long yawn.

Sweeping the room with a gaze, Motoko didn't know how to soften the blow so opted to be blunt. "Urashima is planning on leaving the dorm and his position as manager." She said it flatly, still unable to make up her mind on how she felt. The reactions were a mixture of what she expected and surprise.

Su and Shinobu had acted as expected. Shinobu's eyes glistened with tears almost instantly and cried out if she was to blame. Su stuck her finger in her mouth, looked down like a scolded kitten, and said nothing. She was too shocked to reply outwardly, how could she react to the knowledge that her favorite toy was leaving?

Kitsune had been the biggest surprise to Motoko. The ash blond jumped off the couch neigh instantly, her racing form fell to the ground forgotten, but it was her eyes that stood out the most. Those sly and conniving slits had opened fully and despair was the only thing in them. "How can he do that? He can't! He can't leave!" She was fond of him damn it! Sure he had eyes only for Naru but a little drink now and then with him was fun! He treated her like a lady and was enjoyable as hell to tease with her body. Kitsune never suspected the ronin to be a pervert the others did. He was too innocent to be.

Naru shrugged it off like it was nothing. She didn't believe for an instant that the geek would leave. Keitaro was just blowing off steam like always. He threatened to leave before hadn't he, and he came back. He would always came back to her, and when she was ready she'd let him in totally. "Is that all Motoko because if it is I'm heading back to my room."

"Is that all?" Kitsune parroted out shocked. "How can you say that Naru, Keitaro might leave us? Do you know what normal managers are like because I sure as hell do?" Kitsune knew her friend was too selective with her emotions, hiding behind a tough shell, but this was too much. The last place she stayed before coming to Hinata dorm had left nice little scars in Kitsune's heart.

Her hand waving dismissively, Naru was already walking towards the stairs. "Listen to yourself Kitsune, just listen. This is Keitaro we're talking about KEITARO. He won't leave this place, he can't. It's all a bluff and you fell for it. If he does try to go he'll be gone for a week at most then come back begging for us to take him back." But inside Naru suspected it might not be so, though she'd never admit it even to herself. _He said he loved me and he can't leave me if he loves me._ Yes, Keitaro loved her so she could believe he wouldn't leave her or break her heart. She just wasn't ready, needed more time, and he would give it to her. Right?

The girls watched as Naru walked away, trying to believe her but fearful if she was wrong. Clearing her throat again to get their attention, Motoko continued. "I don't really have anything else to say. I just wanted to let you all know this so if you did want to try something you could." Would she try to make him stay…she couldn't answer that yet. To much had happened to quick for her to say anything definite, but the others had a look about them that said they were.

Su and Shinobu were quick off back to bed, thoughts and plans for their beloved manager racing in their heads. Kitsune picked up her discarded form and set it on the coffee table before sitting back down with legs crossed. "This really sucks I hope you know," she said to Motoko.

Sensing the conversation was just starting with the fox, Motoko took her own seat on one of the plush chairs. "I am unsure how I feel about this, but he has the right to do what he wishes doesn't he?" Prolong the thought process, while hiding from it and anything she had to do with driving the man away. Simple lies were the best.

"You have no idea do you?" Kitsune said and rolled her magazine into a tight wand gripping it tightly. "You and Naru always hitting him and calling him a pervert but did you ever stop and think about it? How things could be worse if he was a different type of person?" And that shit with Naru just brushing it off was irking her to no end. Keitaro worshipped that girl and she didn't even bat an eyelash at the idea of him leaving?

Being talked back to by Kitsune wasn't something Motoko expected at all. Where was this coming from anyway? Kitsune never really showed any interest in Keitaro outside of his wallet and now she was acting strangely. "You're no different than Naru and myself so I don't want to hear you talking so high and mighty. How much of his money did you con from him? How many times did you lead Naru or myself into thinking he was doing something all so you could get a good laugh?" The more she thought about it, Kitsune had been the manipulating force in a lot of Motoko's 'pervert punishment.' It angered her to realize it.

Kitsune's mouth hung open for a moment, she hadn't expected Motoko to so expertly retort. Reality was harsh when the light is turned on you to review your sins. Keitaro had covered many of her bills, bought her saki, and eased her through many jams. _And I was planning on doing it again if I don't do well at the tracks tomorrow. _But she'd make it up to him later, assuming there was a later. Now she had to knock Motoko down a peg. "I never said I was innocent but I'm nowhere near as bad as you. Attacking a defenseless man with your sword and chi attacks no concern for what it might do to him." Motoko's head dipped for a moment and gave Kitsune leverage to press on, "Tell me Motoko-chan, what would happen to me if you used those attacks on me?"

Her fingers trembled as the truth sank in and washed away the dirt of the lies she told herself. They were soft simply little lies to make her sleep soundly at night. Motoko heard Kitsune ask her again what would happen if she was hit with any of her attacks. When she answered her voice was something she hated more than anything, it was weak. "You would be hurt." She choked on the last word.

Having her opponent so disadvantaged at the sudden twist of events, Kitsune pressed on. "Would it be safe to say I'd be more than just a little hurt?" Mokoto winced. "How about maimed? Would your sword cut through my flesh and break my bones?" Kitsune's face reddened with anger and exhilaration the more she thought about it, while Motoko's paled more and more until she was white. "Would that lovely little sword of yours end my life unlike it has for Keitaro…yet?" she had waited on the last little syllable until Motoko had opened her mouth to attempt a rebuttal.

"I…but he never…" Motoko couldn't lie to herself about what Kitsune was saying. Her attacks weren't meant to punish people they were made to kill. Swift brutal justice and she had enacted it on a normal caring man. "They…they would…" she wanted to add the negative qualifier, say 'they wouldn't', but Kitsune never gave her the chance.

"How does that make you feel then, knowing that you have done things that could kill somebody to an innocent man. A man that fought a martial arts master for your sorry lying ass, how does it feel?" Kitsune was drinking in the irony of her winning a fight with Motoko. Even if it was just a war of words created by anger, a victory was a victory. But it wasn't anger at the other person but anger at themselves they were venting. Angry that they had been so blind to the pain they inflicted on the best thing to ever happen to them. "I'm going to bed I hope you have a good time thinking about this and what you did." Walking up the stairs to her room she added to herself, "And when I wake up watch out Keitaro Urashima because I'm going to make you wish you never thought about leaving this place!"

Left alone to her thoughts, Motoko clenched her hands shut so hard they drew blood. "I have shamed myself, my school, and my ancestors." And over what did she toss away all concepts of honor? Fear that a man was a pervert or had ill intentions for her. It sickened her how easily she had taken any slight offense as something greater from him. "I cannot let it end like this," but what could she do? She didn't know but she would have to think of something. _If I cannot make amends to him my honor will be tarnished for the rest of my life._

Taking her weary body back to her room, she pulled out her leather bound journal she needed something to help her sleep. Reading her stories often helped with that, but today as she read her odd attempts at romance novels she couldn't help but notice how they changed over time. The lead male had gone from being a fearless warrior to something meeker yet kinder. The harshness of the lead man became soft. What had started as her ideal man became Keitaro. "How did this happen?"

X-X

Sneaking into the dorm after all the girls had found themselves alone with their thoughts, Keitaro went to his room to think. "This place has a lot of good memories but the bad are over shadowing them." The good was there, all around him like a shawl, but the bad was on the for front of his mind. It ate away at the good things until he couldn't see them clearly anymore.

He promised Haruka that he would stay for at least a week but the idea of running off into the night like a phantom was pretty damn good. He hoped the girls would forgive him for being weak and leaving them, but he just couldn't' take it.

Turning his futon down and getting into his sleeping cloths, an oversized t-shirt and sweatpants, he got into bed. Yes he did love this place and everybody in it, but love only lasts so long when the thing you love is used to beat you senseless. Eying the hole that connected his room to Naru's a lone tear escaped Keitaro's eye. "I guess it wasn't meant to be," he had given Naru his heart and she stomped on it and returned it to him.

First love, real first love, was hard to step away from and even harder to forget, but he had to put Naru in the past. He couldn't cope anymore with what she did to him. Whispering one last 'I love you' to where his dream Naru slept he was ready to move on past dreams and hopes.

All of his hopes and dreams had done nothing to improve his life, they strangled the life out of him. But fate was going to show him that when things get bad, they can only get better.

Hinata dorm slept listlessly that night.

X-X

So how was the first chapter? Little dry and emotional but if you want something to change you have to break it first. This isn't going to be a dark story, well not fully dark, and the next chapters will be a lot more 'love hina'sh so hope you continue to read and support it

LATER

Ps. Thanks for pre-reading again zenny


	2. Chapter 2

Standard Disclaimer

Yeah I know that first chapter didn't have a whole lot of 'Love Hina' feel to it. It was a trifle sad and emotional, but don't think the whole story is going to be that way. I'm hoping to have some funny and pleasant moments as well to this. Hope ya like!

X-X

Fracture

Chapter 2

When her eyes opened the sun was already coming in though her window at a steep angle. Sitting up and letting her blanket pool in her lap, Kitsune rubbed the crumbs out of her eyes and yawned loudly. "Haven't had that good a night sleep in ages," she mumbled as she scratched her exposed stomach. Her night shirt, a t-shirt she cut the mid drift out of, was riding high. Getting to her feet and kicking the blanket against the wall, Kitsune tried to place the odd feeling she was feeling. Something was off, her mind was amiss but she just couldn't think of a cause.

"I know something is weird but what is it?" she again mumbled as she reached for her bottle of aspirin. Her hand stopped inches short of the tiny white bottle she kept on her dresser. She didn't have a headache! Hell she didn't even have any signs of a hangover at all! "I…didn't drink last night." Why hadn't she drunk any of her saki? With her finances tumbling from black to red she should have gotten blitzed but she hadn't. Pulling out her bra and slacks for the day, both black, Kitsune wracked her brain for the reason that had prevented her from drowning her worries in booze. "Maybe I need to ask Keitaro for better sa…ki."

Then it hit her, the floor that is, she'd stumbled backward as the events of last night reappeared from the mist of her sleep dimmed mind. Keitaro was leaving them! Motoko had told them all right before she had cracked her first bottle open and started her work of picking fillies. "Oh shit I was supposed to talk to him this morning!" She planned on adding a little incentive for the dopy guy to stay, but if he had left already she'd have blown it. Rolling over to her futon since it was easier than getting up. Kitsune read the digital display, 10:34. "Damn it!"

Jumping to her feet, several of her saki bottles bounced on the shelf where she kept her empties, Kitsune grabbed her nearest shirt and shoved it on. "He could still be here, he could!" She repeated over and over as she walked out of her room, leaving the door open, and next door to Keitaro's. Tapping on the door lightly, Kitsune called through, "Keitaro you in there?"

No answer. Knocking harder this time, she heard one of her bottles fall off the shelf and shatter, Kitsune called louder. "Keitaro you better not be ignoring me, you answer if you're in there!" Nobody else was in the dorm right now so Kitsune didn't care how loud she was. The girls all had school, be it junior high, high school, or college. Only Kitsune had a job and had foregone the need for higher education. Her fist opened to a flat palm and she slapped the wall next to Keitaro's door, her forehead planted against it, "Damn it…damn it!"

Of all the times to sleep in, she had to do it on the one day she had to get up early. That damnable Urushima had fled from the dorm like he said he would. Driven away from them because of their greed and prejudice. _If the new manager is like my old one…If I have to go through that again I don't…don't think I could._ Kitsune slammed her palm against the door again, how could she have failed now! "Please don't be gone yet. It can't end this way."

"Is something wrong Kitsune?" Keitaro asked walking up the first set of stairs. He had his heavy work pants on and a dirty flannel shirt. They were the best for when he worked with wood as they kept him from getting splinters. Under his arm he carried the necessary planks to repair the damage to Naru's wall, and a few smaller ones to plug the hole in the floor. "If you need something you could have just left a note, been busy today."

Her eyes shot open at the sound of his voice, but she didn't look at him. Too many dragons would be lost if she let him see her with such an emotions. _But what do I do now…I didn't really think past it._ Slapping the doorframe again, lighter this time, Kitsune let out a small laugh. "Thought you'd left for the day," _forever _her mind corrected. "So what you up to?" she took several deep breaths to calm her frazzled nerves.

Shifting his legs from right to left, gripping the wood planks harder before the slipped from his grip, he smiled. "I'm off to fix Naru's wall and I have some personal issues to attend to today. So what did you need, I'll see if I can work it into my schedule." He wasn't going to let them know his plans until he was long gone. No reason to make things more dramatic than they had to be. His plans were simple. Do everything the girls asked of him, every small little request, and after he was done call the newspaper and request it to put in his ad. _I'll make them happy up until the moment I leave._

"How about some help huh?" Kitsune asked finally pealing her face away from the door. She'd recovered her lost control, eyes back to unreadable slits. Standing in the hall to block Keitaro's passage, she wasn't going to let him past her without an answer. "Might make things go easier for you."

While it would be nice to actually have help for once, Keitaro wasn't sure it was a good idea. Kitsune never offered her assistance for a cheap price. Was it a trick to get him alone so she could get him to touch her so she could claim her rent was paid? _She hasn't paid me yet so it's most likely why she wants to help. _"That's ok, Kitsune, I can do it by myself." His smile lost a little truth as he thought it was all a trick.

Her eyes saw it the change. She saw the fade set into his smile. "I insist, Keitaro, we don't help you out enough around here." She insisted as reached for the boards in Keitaro's hands and stole them from his unsuspecting grasp. _What is he thinking now, why doesn't he want help from me? _Turning around and heading towards the stairs that would lead them to Naru's room, Kitsune frowned. "So what are these personal issues you have, maybe I can help with those as well?" she added with a wink in his direction.

Letting Kitsune's purr go by without flinching, Keitaro was more assured now that her help was just a farce. She needed money, a rent extension, or something from him so she was laying on her best charms. "Its nothing you need to be worried about," Keitaro dodged the question. "How about you, are things going well at the tracks?" He hadn't seen the race form in a while so Keitaro hoped she'd moved away from gambling to something safer. _A girl could get hurt if she's in with the wrong crowd. _It was one of Keitaro's biggest worries.

Sliding Naru's door open with her foot, Kitsune's grimace increased. "Haven't had much luck lately to be honest. I'll just have to write a few more articles to get by." But with nobody buying her stories it didn't matter how many stories she wrote. One of her old friends had let out a few skeletons from Kitsune's closet and now nobody would touch her stuff. _Miyuki really did get me back for stealing that story about the businessman and his little affair. _Shaking off her own problems, Kitsune was going to focus on Keitaro. "Maybe I'll have you pre-read them for me Todai-san," she cooed over her shoulder.

Setting the boards down next to the wall, Keitaro spilled the nails on the floor. Being in Naru's room still set his heart rate soaring. It was girly but not overwhelmingly so, her bookcase of study aids proved she wasn't a child, but the stuffed toys hinted at femininity. Plus it smelled of her, sweet and mellow. _It's over…no…it never started between us._ "I'm sorry Kitsune. I didn't hear what you said." He'd been lost in old feelings. "Say it again?"

Grabbing one of the boards, Kitsune held it to the hole, "I said we should hurry and finish and get something to eat." While irked her come-on was missed, Kitsune couldn't fault the dope. _This is holy ground to him, the den of his beloved Naru-chan_. How Naru earned such a place in Keitaro's heart despite all her abuse was a mystery Kitsune never could guess. "We could get a little lunch get a nice drink on and have a fun time. I bet you like having fun don't ya Keitaro," Kitsune giggled as she rubbed her arm against Keitaro lightly.

Stepping further away from Kitsune, his breath a little ragged, Keitaro reached for a nail and started his repairs. "We could get some food after we finish, and it's my treat for you helping me, but no drinking for me." He had too much to do and couldn't let himself get drunk or dissuaded by Kitsune's casual flirtation. _Does she know she affects me like this or is it natural for her?_ Whatever it was, Kitsune could just do amazing things with Keitaro's fantasies.

_I think that was a two pointer,_ Kitsune thought as she noticed the change in Keitaro's voice and how he shifted his waist away from her. He wasn't thinking about Naru now, Kitsune would bet. Several times she tried speaking to him again but the pounding of the hammer drowned out her voice, her best sexy voice was too soft to beat the racket Keitaro was making. After the last board was in, "Well that does that, ready for that meal?"

He shook his head slowly, mournfully, "One more hole to fix." He didn't want to do it, not in his secret heart, but he knew he had to. As long as the hole in the floor existed, Keitaro would have hope. Hope was a lie and needed to be corrected. Seeing the confused look on Kitsune's face, Keitaro pointed to the Liddo-kun, "That has to be fixed too." Dropping to his knees, Keitaro started pulling out some of the rotten wood. _Never thought about it…to her it's on the floor and to me it's the ceiling. Poetic isn't it. I'm nothing but something for her to walk on and to me she's unreachable. _

"Wait you're going to fix that one too?" Kitsune couldn't hold her astonishment back. This was the sacred opening wasn't it? If he was going to seal it up that meant something more profound than him just leaving. _But I guess if he really is planning on moving away this isn't anything special anymore is it? _Unconsciously Kitsune licked her lips. Keitaro was fair game now wasn't he?

Had anybody told Kitsune that she'd fall for Keitaro when he first arrived she'd have died laughing. Now however, after living with him, Kitsune was comfortable claiming she cared a great deal for the silly man. He was everything she could want in a man. Kind, supportive, fairly cute, and he was not abusive. Hunkering down next to the man, shoulder to shoulder, Kitsune was forming new plans. She was going to get him to stay but for a different reason.

Already putting a fresh board in one of the slots, Keitaro answered Kitsune first with the hammering of a nail. "I figured its time I finish all the things around here I've been putting off." So he could leave with no regrets, and they couldn't site him on leaving his work unfinished.

Holding the wood in place for him Kitsune was given an unobstructed view of his face. She could see him trying to hide his regret but it was there, beneath the surface and behind the forced concentration. It didn't suit him, he should be happier, but with the life he'd been enduring Kitsune had reason to wonder how much she'd chose to not see. Well time to change that, "So Kei-kun, where you taking me to eat?" Rubbing her shoulder suggestively against his, Kitsune should have expected his concentration to slip.

Slamming the hammer on his finger and not the nail, Keitaro yelped out loudly in pain. It hadn't been a full swing, but it still hurt. "Oh damn it!" he yelled as he dropped the hammer, luckily it was the last board he was working on so the hammer didn't have a hole to drop through. _I know she just wants money but could she wait until after I'm done working to con it out of me?_ Moving his throbbing thumb to his mouth, Keitaro hoped to ease the pain a little. "Man that hurts" he hissed through his full mouth.

_Shit, that didn't go like I planned,_ Kitsune thought reluctantly but seeing his actions gave her an idea. "Oh let Mama-Kitsune kiss it and make it better," she preened as she pulled his ridged hand out of his mouth. Kissing the bright red digit suggestively she watched his reaction. It was deadpan, lacking the frantic energy she usually got. _Move it up a notch then, _she wasn't going to lose now that she was serious. Slowly she went to move his hand to her breast again, as she'd done so many times, but this time in actual affection and not greed. "Kei-kun," she whimpered.

Eyes closing, Keitaro freed his hand quickly from the fox. "How much do you need Kitsune, I'm a little light right now but I can see if I can't scrounge up enough to help." Such acts were so transparent that he wasn't going to make her degrade herself anymore. Just accept it and give in, soon he wouldn't be there for her to get money from so it didn't matter. His hand went reaching for his pocket, to find his wallet, when he opened his eyes to see Kitsune looked back at him, "What…did you need a rent extension is that what this was. If that's the case you can take a few more weeks to pay me. You know you don't have to do…that type of thing for me to help."

"Is that what you think I want Keitaro?" Kitsune asked in a small voice. What else could he be expecting from her, a tiny voice asked her. The voice sang between her ears, and to add insult to injury it sounded like Motoko. It said 'Isn't this what you always did to him?' and 'He doesn't expect anything from you but a con as that's all you've shown him.' Her past interaction with the manager was just as the voices said too. She'd taken from him and given nothing but shame or Naru or Motoko's wrath.

Freeing his wallet and thumbing through a few bills, Keitaro handed her what he could afford, more than he really could if he truly planned on leaving. "It's all I have on me right now Kitsune." He waited for her to take it. "It's not like you haven't done this before to me so I'm not angry." He smiled a little, "And you were right it did make things go faster but you should have just told the truth and said you were doing it for some money." He'd not have judged her for it.

Slapping the extended hand away from her face, the bills went flying across Naru's room. "No! I don't want your fucking money Keitaro. Not this time!" she yelled at him. It wasn't his fault that he was conditioned to believe Kitsune wanted his money. She did a good job training him. But right now Kitsune wasn't seeing that, she saw the end result of all her efforts, and hated it. "Couldn't I have just wanted to be nice to you for a change, to help you like you've helped me?"

Moving slowly away from Kitsune and towards the door, Keitaro couldn't stand to see the sadness and anger in Kitsune's face. He'd done something to upset one of his tenets again so as usual he'd flee from them before she got angry and attacked. As he was shutting the door to give Kitsune time to be alone he slipped, "You never have before so how could I have known?"

The few words ran circles in Kitsune's head, wormed their way in and burrowed into her brain. "God damnit what did I just do," she asked the empty room. Her head hung low as her body acted as usual. Gathering the money that Keitaro had so effortlessly given her, Kitsune felt her eyes stinging. _He's planning on moving out yet he gives me so much…that…that IDIOT!_ She couldn't let him leave, no if she did somebody else would see him for what he was. If that woman was kind then Keitaro would be happy, but the world wasn't full of nice people like him. Reality was that more people existed like herself, greedy and selfish people. They'd bleed him dry and leave him to rot.

"I can't let that happen to him," she owed him too much. But when she gathered her wits about her the man had fled the building and left her to stew in her regret. "Why couldn't I have kept my temper in check?" the wad of money didn't answer her directly. It answered her sub-consciously as she put it in her purse. 'You got angry because he acted the way you usually wanted him to but now you're different and he's the same.'

X-X

"What's got you all upset Kitsune?" Naru asked as the girls gathered around the supper table. Since returning from school, Naru noticed a subtle change in her best friend's demeanor. The energy just seemed drained from the fox and left the girl with a strange disquieting air. Naru hoped it wasn't more of Keitaro's supposed leaving effecting her, even though she hadn't seen him once all day. "Not still thinking that idiot's leaving are you?"

"Naru-chan why must you always say such cruel things about Kei-kun? He got into Todai didn't he?" Mutsumi asked as she waited for Shinobu to set the table. While the Okinawan didn't want to ignore Naru all day, she had. All Naru did anymore was ridicule and berate Keitaro and Mutsumi wouldn't stand for it any longer. The balance finally shifted in Mutsumi's heart. No longer were Keitaro and Naru equal, her heart shifted towards Keitaro now. "Would it be so hard to be kind to him?"

Kitsune listened to the two college students start an argument about how to treat Keitaro, and her own attitude forgotten. _Naru's only thinking about herself or ways to find fault with Keitaro. _Why Naru couldn't stop hiding her emotions or stop thinking all men were molesters and sex crazed maniacs, Kitsune really wanted to know. Breaking into the brewing disagreement Kitsune answered. "I had a little spat with Keitaro this morning while he was fixing the wall you put him through."

Helping Shinobu bring in the plates laden with the manager's favorite foods, Motoko sighed. "What did that male do this time, he didn't hurt you did he?" Of course he had to have or else why would Kitsune's aura be fluctuating so much? For a trained Shinmei-ryu warrior reading aura's was as easy as reading the morning paper, so Motoko instantly knew Kitsune was off her normal stride. Letting their own fight slide to the wayside, "I could dispense judgment upon him when he returns."

"Thanks sugar," Kitsune said to Shinobu as she handed her a plate and turned back to Motoko, "going to kill him this time or just cut parts off the parts you don't like. Why don't you cut his dick off it scares you so damn much. As for what 'I' did to upset 'HIM' I'm not going to say." Kitsune said darkly having not forgotten her victory the day before. Noticing the shocked looks on the girls faces, Kitsune shrugged, "Sorry Shinobu, Su, I got a little angry."

Her face burning a bright red, mind filled with images of said managers private organ, Shinobu stuttered. "I-I-it's ok K-Kitsune-sempai you're having a bad day so…so it's ok." Finding her own seat after the other girls were served, Shinobu looked at all of them. Motoko's head hung low after Kitsune's verbal barb, Naru was noticeably angry at Kitsune, and Mutsumi was smiling lightly at her. "Are we going to wait for Sempai?"

With her chopsticks in her hand, drool coming down her chin, Su gazed intently at the bounty before her. "Oi we should as Shinobu-chan made all his favorites…trying to earn some points aren't ya!" It was a good way to make him want to stay, flood him with kindness. "Maybe I'll give him a present too something to do the work around here for him! A NEW MECHA-TAMA!" Design specs already forming in her mind, Su wasn't going to watch her beloved quasi-brother and resident test subject leave.

Hand to cheek, Mutsumi gazed warmly at the two children. They knew what Keitaro was like and respected him for it. Only those two earned Mutsumi's affection that night. "Ara Ara what a wonderful thought Shinobu-chan. I'm sure Kei-kun will appreciate it when he gets here." It was a shame they were so young or maybe they could have been the ones to ease Keitaro's troubles. But they were but children, and now that she wasn't holding back any longer Mutsumi wasn't going to give him away.

The girls started eating in silence with Mutsumi's comment hanging heavy in the air. They knew something happened between Keitaro and Kitsune but the fox wasn't talking. Motoko's head never rose far from her food, and her voice was painfully soft when she asked for condiments. The heiress was reminded of her transgressions, and how quickly she had gone to do what she promised never to do again. Punish an innocent man. As the plates emptied the group got a big shock as a newspaper fell heavily on the table, slammed on the table.

Haruka stood behind Naru, hand pointed at the paper, but her face was an unreadable mask. "Take a good look at that girls' and know you caused it." Her cigarette wasn't lit but it was in her mouth regardless, her teeth gnashing on the butt. Getting angry at them wouldn't help her, not now anyway. Keitaro wouldn't forgive her if she took her frustration out on his beloved tenets that in turn treated him like shit. Their eyes on her, big and wide like fish eyes, Haruka forced her way between Naru and Motoko and pointed at a small article. "This is what Keitaro was doing all day today, and as for where he is now I only hope it's someplace safe."

The girls huddled over the article and read it repeatedly. It was an ad for a job, Keitaro's job. Kitsune hissed out loud, she had known he was going to do something like this but drove him away instead of preventing it. Mutsumi's head swiveled slowly, her palm still to her face but the smile was gone.

_Wanted: Manager for Hinata All Girls Dormitory. Only experienced applicants may apply. Must be able to clean, know wood repair, basic carpentry, electrical repair, and accounting. Female preferred. For more information call the Hinata Tea House, ask for Keitaro._

Shifting the cigarette to the side of her mouth, Haruka nodded. "Take a guess how many calls I've been getting already and this ad has only been out for half a day." The damn phone was ringing non-stop and making a real mess of her business. Only good thing about it was that it meant Keitaro would be there, hopefully tomorrow, to answer them. Those damnable girls' eyes all turned back to her questioningly, "All I know is that he promised to stay a week before leaving and we all know how my nephew treats promises."

Taking the paper in her hands, Motoko re-read the ad and ingrained it into memory. "He has all of those skills that he requested his replacement have." It wasn't a question but a statement of fact. She had never thought about all the repairs Keitaro had done, or the skill required for them. Finding matching looks of astonishment, maybe revelation, on the others faces she turned to Haruka, "Haruka-san I…"

"Save it…all of you can just save it," Haruka wasn't going to let them apologize their way out of this. Turning her back on the girls she started walking out of the building. "That man gave his all for all of you and only three of you felt it necessary not to beat him or steal from him." Out of nowhere Haruka had a driving need to spit but held it. "If I were him I'd pick the imaginary version of himself you girls have in mind and set it loose on you, but we all know better don't we." With no other words Haruka left the stunned women.

With dinner over and the mood for further conversation killed, the girls all went their separate ways. Kitsune retired to her room to drink away her sorrow and to make new plans, Naru retired to her room as well after offering Mutsumi an invitation to study, Shinobu and Su went to clean dishes, Motoko headed to the springs, and Mutsumi sat and watched and planned.

X-X

With Keitaro nowhere in sight the whole day, Motoko shed her clothing the moment she stepped into the changing room. No reason to fear a man that wasn't present. _No reason to fear him at all_, her conscious reminded her. Unrolling her chest bindings and throwing them into her basket as well, Motoko sighed deeply. "How have I misjudged him?" she asked herself while balling her hair in a towel to keep it dry.

Pulling the cloth door to the side, Motoko entered the bath proper, greeted by the thick sulfur smell of the spring. It was immaculately kept, no excess dirt, no lose rocks, no algae in the water, everything was perfect. "Another thing he did for use for no benefit to himself," she muttered. Testing the water with her foot, it bit at her with its soothing heat. Nodding with a tiny grin, Motoko slid into the spring and let the warmth flow over her.

There was magic in the spring that was never in doubt. Moments after dipping in Motoko felt all her muscles relax and the tension flow away. "I guess he really is serious this time about leaving," she said again. The night sounds were to quiet for her taste, she wanted more sounds. It kept her from thinking dark thoughts about things like responsibility, honor, and punishment. _If sister ever found out about what I have done to him I would never survive the repercussions. _It wasn't hard for Motoko to see that her sister took a shine to her potential husband.

Stretching her legs out to the max, Motoko leaned heavily against the rock rim of the spring and sank up to her collar bone. A wet hand reached for the towel and pulled it free, might as well soak her hair too, she wasn't planning on leaving the onsen anytime soon. Her raven locks spilled out and into the water. "All those things Urushima did for us and never once did we thank him. We never listened to him when he tripped, we…I judged him for it and…" the rest Motoko still didn't want to admit to herself. The fact she could have killed him many times over. _Damn you Kitsune for putting that knowledge in my head. Couldn't you have let me go on thinking he was immortal as Su-chan clams?_

But she couldn't, because what if one day his immortality had failed him and she punished him unjustly? The warmth of the onsen didn't suppress the chill that wracked Motoko's body. Yes she was a warrior, but in today's age she wasn't expected to kill a human. It was something she doubted she could do without a great deal more cause than an accidental grope.

Lost in her thoughts and embraced by the intoxicating heat of the bath, Motoko's eyes drew heavy. A brief sleep spell equated in her planting her face in the water which effectively woke her up again. "Foolish girl…I could have killed myself like that." Using her arms as props Motoko forced her reclining body back into a seated position but as she sat down found the floor of the spring wasn't as smooth as she thought.

A small nub, not more than an inch of smooth stone jutted out and she sat perfectly on it by mistake. Brushing against her maidenhood Motoko's body was paralyzed for a brief moment as the newness of the sensation washed over her. While Motoko did write cheesy romance novels full of things and more than slight perversion, she herself had never experienced anything like it. She was a warrior and warriors don't need love or pleasure, but she was getting a tiny taste of it now.

Looking at the door of the onsen, praying nobody was there to see her blushing red or hear her minute squeal of lust, Motoko saw the smiling face of Mutsumi gazing back at her knowingly. "Ara Ara Motoko-chan am I interrupting something?" the woman asked as she dropped her towel to the floor and walked to the bath.

Pulling her body into a more ridged position, away from the small phallic stone she'd sat on, Motoko waved her head frantically. "No nothing Mutsumi-san I was just thinking is all and I…" Got off on a stone that touched something not even her fingers touched.

Easing herself into the waters, Mutsumi let out a content breath. "Are you sure Motoko-chan you look awfully red. Did you sit on something or were you thinking about Kei-kun?" Kami-sama knew it worked for Mutsumi to think about the only man she cared about. Her family was viewed as a little odd over the generations for their training in the sensual arts, but she had no problem with it. Love was love, even if it was self love.

Sputtering and slapping the water with her flailing arms, Motoko spat out denials. "I wasn't thinking about that pervert really I wasn't!" She hadn't had time to think about him before she was interrupted anyway.

Scooting over to Motoko's body, Mutsumi reclined next to where Motoko had first sat. "Oh my that stone lip their might cause a problem if one were to sit on it…Motoko-chan?" It was fun to play with this woman who had hurt Keitaro so much, but Mutsumi had seen the sudden change in the sword maiden. "Are you sure you were not thinking about my Kei-kun?"

_Why is she sitting so close to me! Why is she saying these things? Mutsumi is always so polite and caring. _ Motoko's nerves were on the verge of shorting out with so much stimuli hitting her all at once. "I assure you that I was not thinking about Urushima at all." But now that Mutsumi mentioned it…Motoko's darker more basic mind was finding the idea very pleasing.

"Ara ara you are a poor liar Motoko-chan, but then again I'm not playing fair," Mutsumi admitted. Her hand pointed to the door to the changing room, "I found a lovely leather bound journal in the common room. Either you forgot it or somebody was playing a trick on you. I read some of your stories and while they are very silly they are very…erotic." Mutsumi giggled a little as if saying the word was a sin.

Her eyes bulging wide, Motoko would have fled the bath to recover her private tome had Mutsumi's arm now wrapped around her shoulder. "Mutsumi-san I have to recover that book before one of the little ones find it. What if Shinobu or Su-chan read it?" Motoko made to remove Mutsumi's hand when the Okinawan started to rub her shoulder in an odd manner and Motoko felt her strength leaving her in a wave of bliss.

"I've taken care of that Motoko-chan, I have it in my basket. I agree with you that children shouldn't be exposed to such things until they are ready." Mutsumi admitted. For her it was her twelfth birthday when her mother started her training in the Otohime family arts. The story her mother told her was that one of their distant ancestors lost their love to another woman through seduction, and from that day all the female descendants were trained in the art as well to avoid such hardship again. "But I find it odd that you would hurt Kei-kun for supposed perversion yet you right such things about him…and yourself." Mutsumi had easily identified the dopy manager and the strong warrior in Motoko's writings. Though it did shock her the level of detail Motoko wrote about their coupling.

Her voice growing weaker and weaker as Mutsumi's hands now moved from shoulder to neck, Motoko's eyes glazed over as wave after wave of sensation hit her. "Mutsumi-san what are you…I didn't mean to…I…I didn't know." She didn't know that touch could be this powerful! Mutsumi was obviously weaker than she was, but then why was she at the Okinawan's mercy? Mutsumi's soft casual touches and rubs were causing such an intense burning in Motoko. _This is what being with somebody is like…my stories aren't near this powerful._

"I know Motoko-chan I know. You didn't know what love was when you started feeling this way. It made you frustrated, confused, and afraid and that is why you lashed out at him," Mutsumi could see it. Coming from a warrior class Motoko didn't know much about emotion and sensation so when confronted with it she lashed out. Spinning Motoko's body away from hers, Mutsumi's hands skillfully went to the usually concealed bust of Motoko and continued to work. "As for what I am doing, consider it a punishment for all the pain you inflicted on Kei-kun."

Punishment? How could anything that felt so good be a punishment? Motoko didn't know at first but when she felt something in her building she had an inclining as to what was going to happen. As she had read and written she felt an orgasm building in her loins, a powerful one brought on by the unknown skill that Mutsumi had. "I don't love him…Mu-Mutsumi-san…I d-didn't," Motoko moaned out as Mutsumi continued her casual touches, never once doing anything that would violate the woman, Mutsumi was to pure for that.

All at once, Mutsumi grinned a tiny evil grin and pulled her hands away from Motoko's body. "I think you do and I'm sorry to tell you that I will not let you have him. I had wanted Kei-kun to love Naru-chan but that isn't going to happen." The tone was a mix of happy and sad, Mutsumi never did WANT to give him up. "And I wish him to love me for who I am and not for what I can do to him, as you know doubt feel now." Mutsumi got out of the bath and grabbed her towel. "But once I am sure he cares well…know you know why I have many children. The Otohime clan does love our men very much, Father never knew what hit him and nor will Kei-kun."

So close to the verge that it was maddening, Motoko finally understood how Mutsumi was punishing her. If she wanted closure, the maddening itch to go away she'd have to do it herself. She'd have to pervert herself fully or continue on with the day utterly frustrated. "Mutsumi-san…you…gah!" Motoko yelled as she heard the door to the onsen shut. She'd have to accept the choice herself. Eyeing the tiny stone lip in the water, Motoko sighed and slid over it again. _I'm worse than he is._

X-X

Notes

Lil bit on the limey side at the end but its all in good fun. Yeah I know a lot of this isn't 'official' cannon but I think it works for what I want to do. Mutsumi never gets anything she deserves so why not play around with the character a bit. She does have a full army of brothers and sisters. Anyway hope you liked and hope ya keep reading

LATER

And Zenny…TUFF I added it!...afraid of a lil girl on girl.


	3. Chapter 3

Standard Disclaimer

Yeah I should be working on my DearS story but this is a little more fun right now. Hope lot of ya didn't get upset with the whole 'Mutsumi isn't a total doormat' thing I added. Well if you did I doubt you're reading this disclaimer so it doesn't matter.

Well enough prattle

X-X

Fracture

Chapter – 3

Laying on her futon staring at the ceiling, Naru couldn't believe the dream she just woke from. It was so mind bogglingly simple yet she could feel herself wanting to have the same dream every night. It was of Keitaro and her running the dorm together and living together happily. Forcing her still tired body out of bed, Naru went through the daily ritual of getting ready for school, fully expecting her Liddo-kun to fall over as Keitaro accidentally peeked on her. As much as she claimed she hated it, part of her subconscious got a small thrill out of him seeing her either naked or semi-naked body.

She had a mighty Naru punch ready for him this time though for all the trouble he was causing. "I can't believe how Kitsune is taking this. She actually believes him," she chuckled at the irony. The conniving fox being tricked by such a dope. After fastening her watch, Naru walked to the repaired wall and ran her fingers down the wood. _That ad in the paper had to be a fake, or maybe he posted it knowing he wouldn't hire anybody. _Anybody that would put such care in their task couldn't possibly want to leave it.

Looking from the wall to her cherished toy, Naru still waited for it to wobble on its wood base and fall over as Keitaro called her for breakfast. Getting on her knees in front of the hole, Naru was ready to give her manager a little shock himself. They hadn't spoken since she punted him last, and after Mutsumi's reaction Naru guessed it was her time to apologize. "Keitaro?" she called to the doll.

Liddo didn't respond or move, it sat with its fake smile and button eyes. "Keitaro are you up yet!" Naru said louder through the wood. Her anger was already starting to swell as the man whose puppy love was something she counted on didn't respond. "Fine I'm coming down, if you're doing anything perverted I swear I'll send you to America!" Naru called out finally as she slid her doll's base away. Seeing the same well performed maintenance on the hole in the floor that had been given to her wall, Naru stopped breathing.

_It's gone! The hole…it's gone! How can it be gone?_ Naru's mind entered a cycle of questioning and disbelief as her fingers traced the lines in the wood. "How could he?" Naru said so softly it was almost inaudible. If he had sealed the hole then maybe he wasn't just bluffing this time. Maybe he was really going to leave and all the things that Haruka had said was real. Keitaro was leaving because of all the things they did to him. "But he said he loved me," Naru balked as a tear formed in her eye. Her fingers clawed at the at the wood leaving long scars on the smooth wood.

Hearing the faint sound of Keitaro's door opening and footfalls inside the room, Naru leapt back to her feet and was running out of her room. He couldn't do this to her, not now after so much had happened between them! The dorm hallways blurred as Naru ran from her floor down to Keitaro's. Naru dimly noticed Su calling out cheers that Naru was going to break the sound barrier. Grabbing Keitaro's door, Naru slammed it open so hard it bounced off its hinge. "Keitaro!" she yelled as her eyes locked onto his.

Cringing back in fear, Keitaro was too shocked to speak. He had come to gather a few of his school articles to help him pass the time manning the phone and here Naru came breaking his door and screaming at him. "N-Naru-chan what is it? B-breakfast isn't ready yet so I didn't think you needed waking yet." Naru's face was the picture of pure menace, contorting the usual beauty into a hideous mockery. Keitaro could make out most of the veins in her forehead and the trembling in her hands was a good indication of incoming physical pain.

Stomping into his room, the boom echoing throughout the dorm, Naru didn't respond immediately. No that would be to easy to just say it to this man who had the audacity to claim he loved her and was going to leave her. Naru just shook her head and pointed to the fresh boards above their head. They were easy to point out as the color was lighter, not aged like the others. After Keitaro looked up at them and back at Naru, the confused and frightened eyes still present, Naru spoke. "What did you do Keitaro, why did you go and do that?!"

Remembering how she told him long ago that the hole had special memories for Naru regarding Granny Hina, Keitaro was still at a loss for the anger in Naru. "I just wanted to fix it for you. Since I'm always causing you trouble with it I figured I'd just remove it so you don't have to worry anymore." He was back peddling as Naru walked closer and closer to him, each stomp resulting in another quivering shuffle back. "I didn't think you'd get angry about it."

Stopping at arm's length from the terrified mass of flesh that was Keitaro, Naru's face changed. The glaring anger melted into an unreadable mask. "So you didn't think that going into my room alone to fix the happy memory of Granny Hina, the GOOD manager we had, would make me angry? You didn't think I'd mind you doing perverted things in my room?" Naru's voice was devoid of emotion, yet she cracked her knuckles for good measure. _Stop this! He was trying to be nice to me! This is why he's leaving because I can't control myself! STOP! _Her mind raged against her but her passions were to great to quell.

Shielding his face with his hands, Keitaro yelped out, "K-Kitsune was with me! She helped me to fix the damage. She can confirm that I didn't do anything perve…" But hadn't he? Kitsune had tried her usual cons to get money from him, and he did have a bit of a reaction to it. He was ashamed at how easy he was swayed by Kitsune's smooth voice and luscious body, but he tried to restrain himself. _And when I did go to pay her…she got so angry._

"I knew it! You did do something to upset Kitsune! PERVERT!" Naru screamed as she let loose all her pent up anger and frustration and sent the unfortunate man out of the dorm via the wall. His screams echoed for a while until finally going silent. Standing in the middle of the destruction she caused, Naru's body shook. "Oh God I did it again!" she slipped out. Kitsune had told them all during supper that she had caused the fight, not Keitaro. But here she was, beating the man for what her friend did. _How can he love me if this is how I treat him._

The answer was all around her once she wasn't blinded by emotion. His room was oddly vacant, full of boxes and bags. He was getting ready to move out. Move away from all the suffering and pain he received daily. Silently, Naru walked out of his room, broke the door even more by trying to close it, and finally went down to the dining hall. It was too late now to try and fix things she'd just get angry again for not being able to face reality. The truth that she loved that man more than anything but was to big a coward to let him into her heart fully. She couldn't give into her emotions, couldn't let herself love him, and yet didn't want him gone.

X-X

It was Naru's explosive scream that woke Kitsune from her slumber. Her intake the day before had been more than her usual, trying to fuel her aims through alcohol. Remove the forebrain and all its hindrances and let her real thoughts come through. Unfortunately for the fox, she took too much to quick and her thought process careened over the edge of rational thought into dreams. Hopes to get Keitaro to stay using subterfuge and bribery wouldn't work as he was to clean. Seduction would work, but not for her it seemed. He saw her attempts to gain his affection through skillful use of her body as merely an attempt to get money.

That thought made her angry as well. _Does he think I'm a prostitute or something? Does he think I'd do what I do with him to anybody? _Though she had to admit reluctantly to herself that on his first day at the dorm she propped his hand to her chest and claim she paid rent, and it just went down hill from there. Even her anger about Keitaro's reaction the day before was dimming under the light of truth. She had acted the whore, using her body to get money from him. Call a spade a spade and face the facts.

Now wasn't the time for retrospection though, time was ticking and if somebody didn't do something to stay Keitaro's leaving things no longer would be the same. "And Naru's love tap isn't going t help things," Kitsune grumbled. The scream and the sound of wood breaking was just another nail in Keitaro's coffin. Making herself presentable, and tossing her empty bottle into a garbage can, Kitsune set off to the dining room, hoping to find Naru alone.

Sliding her door open however, Kitsune found her path blocked. "What do you want Motoko-chan?" Kitsune's sly grin was growing by the moment. Judging by Motoko's face and body language, the sword maiden hadn't slept well. "Did you lose something yesterday?" Kitsune asked after Motoko didn't immediately respond.

Her knuckles popped under the strain of her fist. Motoko had suspected it was Kitsune that left her private tome out in the open, but didn't have the proof. The jury was still out if having Mutsumi find it was a good thing or bad though. "I should have known it was you Kitsune. Why did you do such a thing to me? Didn't you think that maybe the young ones might have found it?" To Motoko, Children were not old enough for the things she wrote. She wasn't even ready for much of what she wrote, but her body and mind became fevered by the idea.

Shrugging, Kitsune chuckled, "I thought it was time that we let the cat out of the bag Motoko-chan." Sidestepping past the woman in front of her, Kitsune proceeded down the stairs. "I mean you call Keitaro a pervert but who is the real pervert here? I don't see him writing trashy smut novels about the brave warrior woman being ravished by the resident handyman." Kitsune stopped when she reached the last step, she turned and found Motoko on the top looking down at her with malice clearly engrained on her face. "And if he had written such a thing you'd have cut his fingers off for such a violation of your purity. Shame you don't think the same about what you did to him."

Her body burned hot and white with anger, but Motoko wasn't good with spoken words like Kitsune. When she had pen and paper, Motoko could be eloquent and refined. On the battlefield of wits however, Motoko found herself outgunned by the fox. "Kitsune I would again ask why you wish to hurt me so?" Kitsune's damnable smile never left her face, and it enraged Motoko further. Had swordplay been the contest, Motoko would have broken the woman.

"I'm just sick of all the hypocrisy is all. It's ok for you to call him a pervert, but if you reverse the situation it's unfair. He can't call you a pervert because you have normal human longings. He can't fight against you because it's only natural for you. But he has to hide his wants and lust in fear." The double standard never was fair for anybody found put up against it. Plus by punishing Motoko, Kitsune felt she was in a strange way making things up between Keitaro and herself. Getting to the bottom step and seeing Naru was alone in the kitchen, Kitsune added, "And if you'd give me a moment with Naru-chan alone I promise not to tell Keitaro about his staring roles."

Up against the corner, Motoko wouldn't be able to live with herself had Keitaro found out, relented and took a seat on the middle step. "I will keep the young ones from coming if they wake, but I will not sit her forever Kitsune." Her hand reached for her newest and most cherished possession, the Hina blade, "And if you tell him, if you break your vow I will see how my techniques work against a normal person." The sincerity in her tone astonished both Kitsune and herself.

Drumming her fingers over the sheath that now rested on her lap, Motoko watched Kitsune vanish into the dining room. Muffled voices could be heard but she didn't want to know how Kitsune was ridiculing Naru now. Allowed to think again, her mind refreshed thanks to an actually restful night sleep, Motoko watched her fingers move intently. After Mutsumi left the bath, Motoko made her choice to alleviate her problem and not stew in it. The stone nub however didn't really do much after the initial shock it gave her, and Motoko had to improvise.

"My hands are impure," she said softly as they continued to drum against the blade. Self gratification, she had thought women that succumbed to their baser needs were weak. _Does that mean I am a weak woman as well? _She didn't feel any weaker, the rubs and superstitions she'd heard while growing up had appeared to be false. The sensation she felt was positive, she felt better after she finished, but wasn't it supposed to be bad? Was thinking of Keitaro also a bad thing? _Again her damned words ring true but I dislike it. Had he done what I had yesterday, had he thought about me while doing such a thing, I would have punished him. _

A loud yell from the dining room broke Motoko from her internal debate. Watching for somebody to storm out or another yell, Motoko was oddly disappointed when neither occurred. "I have learned much, but possibly I learned it to late," she wrapped her fingers around the sheath and stood. The promise was answered, she had given Kitsune time. Now she wanted some tea and to get ready for school. _It is not like I can compete with Mutsumi for Keitaro if she was serious. _Sensual touches and phantom senses reminded Motoko of what the Okinawan was capable of. Nothing could compete with that woman if she really wanted Keitaro.

X-X

While Motoko pondered the rightness and wrongness of masturbation and the rights of the mental fodder, Kitsune was confronting her friend. Never once did Kitsune place her friendship for Naru aside, but she wasn't going to play nice either. Naru had thrown away what everybody was learning they wanted, and Kitsune wasn't going to let her friend break it before she had a chance. Sitting down on Naru's left, Kitsune never took her eyes off the brunette, "So what did he supposedly do this time?"

"Leave me alone Kitsune I don't want to talk about it," Naru mumbled before crossing her arms on the table and burying her head in them. Feelings of regret were common when she hit Keitaro, but never this profound. A viper was let loose in her body and the first thing it consumed was her heart. Fangs ripped into the tender muscle, and Naru's body rocked back and forth as she replayed the scene in her mind. Keitaro cowering away from her, telling her the truth, and her not believe it. "I don't want to talk about it."

Duality was a bitch. Kitsune wanted to comfort Naru as much as she wanted to throttle her. "What if I want to talk about it Naru?" she tried to be considerate, not use a harsh tone. You get more flies with honey than sugar she thought. "I know you have issues with men Naru, ever since Seta, but this isn't right. What you do to him is just plain wrong." Her hand ran small circles on Naru's back hoping to sooth her enough to talk to face to face.

Propping her forehead on her arms, Naru lifted her mouth far enough from the table to talk comfortably. "Kitsune can't it wait. I'm…this whole thing is really just a lie right? He's just toying with us." Cruel joke as it might be, Naru would rather have been fake than have him really leave. "He d…he deserved it."

"Then why are you here sulking if you think he believed it," Kitsune asked again trying to keep her voice docile. Yelling and accusing Naru of things wouldn't get the girl to stop them, no it would just make Naru put up more walls and make talking to her impossible. "If you believed he really deserved what you did to him this morning you wouldn't be hurting like this now would you?"

Letting out a big gust if breath Naru rubbed her head against her arm before she spoke. "But I want him to be. If it's his fault then I can hate him for leaving. If he leaves because of how we treated him that would make us bad people." Being vicious and heartless wasn't what Naru wanted of herself. "If I can blame him for it then I don't have to feel this way."

The circles stopped, but Kitsune left her hand on Naru's back. "Can't have it both ways Naru. You feel bad now because you know what you did, have been doing, was wrong. I'm just as much to blame for this as you are but I'm at least trying to make amends for it." How belittle Motoko fit into that was anybodies guess, but it made Kitsune feel much better. "If we try, I mean really try to make it up to him than maybe he won't leave." A hallow hope, but to Kitsune it was better than no hope at all.

Sharp brutal laughs left Naru's lips. "Would you stay with a group like us Kitsune? Would you?" A life of constant ridicule and pain, where every good deed is meet with speculation and accusations of an ulterior motive. _He's been living in hell and all I could see is my own fears. My fear of being with him. _It was funny in a sick sort of way. She loved him so much she wanted to hate him, and so she did. "How can he want to stay after all we've done?"

"By us changing Naru that's how," Kitsune finally removed her hand and Naru's pulled away from the table to look at her. The tiny tears, unshed and waiting, left Kitsune speechless. Her friend was finally noticing all the things she had done, and it was so damaging. Wrapping her best friend in a hug, Kitsune laughed lightly, "Look at us. Two stupid women that woke up to late from the dream that a man could take anything we through at him." They should have known that Keitaro had a breaking point and they kept pushing him towards it. "Two dumb women that love the same man again."

Pushing out of Kitsune's grip, Naru's face was unreadable again. Kitsune's admission rang in her head like a gong. The words deafened Naru to everything else in the room, she just kept repeating them over and over. _Kitsune loves Keitaro? Could that have something to do with…what happened between them yesterday? _Keitaro didn't react to her words until she mentioned perversion, and Kitsune said she had done something to Keitaro. Had Kitsune done something sexual to Keitaro and that's what sparked things? "What did you do to him yesterday Kitsune?"

Befuddled at Naru's sudden twist in temper, Kitsune pulled back. "What do you mean Naru?" Damn her tongue, she thought. In a moment of weakness, of camaraderie, she had slipped and told Naru her feelings before she was ready.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Naru yelled and broke Motoko from her mental revelry. Slapping the table, sending a tea cup rattling, Naru's brow flattened into a line. "You said you created the mess yesterday, you say you love him, and he said you were with him in my room when you let him seal the hole between our rooms. So now I want to know what you did!" To Naru, it was all making sense now! Kitsune tried something with Keitaro and he rebuked her, she had waited for him to be weak and pounced on him.

Lie or tell the truth, what would do the most damage and what would Naru really believe. Either could be denied with how Naru was acting, so in an act of reform Kitsune told the truth. "I thought if I could give him a reason to stay he wouldn't leave. If he had a woman to love and care for, or just have a thing with on occasion, he'd stay. I wanted…want to be with him Naru. I respected you and let you have him until this whole mess started. You had your chance and you let it slip by." To her justice, Kitsune felt better about being honest with not only Naru but herself. She wanted to know what sex was like with somebody she actually loved, but that didn't make Naru's slap any less painful.

"I should have expected this from you eventually," Naru huffed and got out of her chair. "Tell Shinobu-chan I'll eat in my room, I don't want to see you right now." Without further word, Naru left the betrayer behind with a stinging cheek. Trusting Kitsune was always a gambit for others, but Naru never thought she had need fear it. How long had Kitsune harbored feelings for the guy she liked, how much had the fox done in driving the nail between them. _All those times he walked in on us in the bath, or us on him while he was cleaning? How many of those were her fault? She's to blame for a lot of the problems between Keitaro and me!_

X-X

With no strength to ascend the mighty flight of steps to the dorm, Keitaro just went to his aunt's tea shop. Work needed to be done and he was the one that had to do it. The pencil and paper pad he had grabbed in his room were sent flying with him, but sadly landed out of his sight. Haruka had been willing to lend him one of her order pads so it didn't matter much. Sitting next to the phone, Keitaro sipped on the complimentary tea Haruka supplied him with and took calls.

Most of them were for him, responding to his ad, but a few were general calls to the tea shop. Regulars that responded with confusion to the overburden the line was receiving and that it wasn't Haruka answering. Keitaro did his best playing the secretary for both his Aunt and his own calls. "Yes this is Keitaro are you calling about the job offer?" he asked in a docile tone. Applying a little of his high school psychology to the calls he let the applicant drive the conversation. Gauging on what they asked, how they responded, and the tone in which the spoke he was able to gain much.

The raspy voice told Keitaro that this man wasn't going to get the job, "Y-yes I want to work at the girl's dorm. Do I get to live there too?" Keitaro could hear the sound of the man sucking back drool.

"What are your qualifications?" Keitaro asked ignoring the man's question about living conditions. Just another pervert that thought that being the manager of a female dormitory was simply another word for free pussy. The man's paper sheet was already torn off, crumpled and tossed in an overflowing basket. More than half the calls were like this one, a man wanting to get into a nice cushy job and surrounded by women. _No wonder they thought I was a pervert. _

The man waited several seconds before speaking, he had none of the required skills for the ad. It was as Keitaro thought, the man thought it was a brainless job and that the listing was just to dissuade those who couldn't handle anything. "I uh…I've worked as an accountant," _cashier at a supermarket, _"I know carpentry and wood working" _he made models and scenery for them_ "And I'm an ace electrician" _set up his mother's DVD player._

Playing nice to the man, Keitaro didn't want to anger anybody into coming down to the dorm to exact revenge. "Excellent, I'll put you in the possible pile. If I can just have your name and phone number I'll be calling the new manager at the end of the week." Pretending to write down the man's information where in reality he just scribbled on a fresh sheet of paper, Keitaro hung up the line.

"Another bust?" Haruka asked walking to the backroom where her phone resided. The lunch rush was finally dying down so she had more free time to check how Keitaro was doing. One overflowing trashcan and wads of crumpled paper was answer enough that it wasn't going well. The actual potential pile had three sheets of paper. "Want me to take a few so you can get a bite to eat?"

Rubbing a growing tension in his shoulder, Keitaro nodded. "That would help, I'm not really hungry but I could stand to take a walk and get some fresh air." Being cramped in Haruka's tiny office all morning hadn't been his idea of a productive use of time but it had to be done. "Back in fifteen minutes," he smiled as he walked past Haruka and out the backdoor.

Sparking her lighter the moment Keitaro was out of sight, Haruka took his seat in the high leather back chair that she had bought. When in her office she wanted to be as comfortable as possible. Taking a deep drag of her smoke, Haruka looked at the phone, it was ringing again. "Sorry but you don't get the job," she said to the receiver then picked it up and set it back down. Her real motive for sending Keitaro off was so she could use the phone without him hovering behind her.

Pulling a wrinkled sheet of paper, more a piece of torn off telephone book, Haruka put the receiver to her shoulder and dialed the number. One ring was all it took before the receiver was picked up. "Hi mom I have some bad news," Haruka regretted going behind Keitaro's back but she didn't want the dorm entrusted to just anybody.

"Granny Hina is in the spa right now," Kanako deadpan voice resounded in Haruka's ears. Traveling the world in search for the illusive fountain of youth, Hina and Kanako were currently in China. Sitting in a tribal tent, fresh grass her chair, Kanako wasn't in a good mood. Amazon food wasn't very good, and having to fight for it was a bitch. _Seven of those girls kissed me to so I better leave before they try and kill me. _ "What can I do for you Haruka?"

Her smoke fell from her mouth as she realized Kanako was the one on the other line. Knowing of her small bout of brother love, Haruka didn't know if telling of Keitaro's troubles was a good idea. "How long until she's out?" Haruka had a small time issue to worry about. Keitaro would be back before she knew it and she would lose her chance at contacting the crazy old bat.

"She just got in so it could be a while," Kanako replied. Petting Kuro as the long eared cat curled up on her lap, Kanako envisioned her dear brother's head in her lap. "So just tell me what you want to tell her and I'll pass it on." Her voice dropped an octave as she heard Haruka sputter on the other end, "Unless it's something you don't wish me to know."

_Damn she's perceptive, _Haruka cursed. Wrapping the phone line around her finger, Haruka gave a silent prayer to the fates. "Tell her that Keitaro is planning on leaving the dorm and is looking for a replacement. I don't know if she'll be upset with him for it but after what's been going on here I don't think he can be swayed to stay." The whole dorm getting down on hands and knees begging for forgiveness and for him to say might not even get him to stay, she feared.

No response greeting Haruka's comment. "Hello, Kanako are you still there?" she asked the dead line. Kanako never responded to Haruka's calls, the girl had already left the tent with Kuro on her shoulder. Taking the phone away from her ear, Haruka looked at it and felt a chill work down her stomach. _That girl is going to raise some hell isn't she? _

"Another bad one?" Keitaro asked when he walked back into the room to find Haruka still looking at the receiver. Walking around the block and grabbing a soda and sweet bun at a grocery store, Keitaro felt recharged and ready for more callers. He had hope that he'd eventually find a real winner to take over his role. Spotting Haruka's cigarette, a long pile of ash that was almost to her finger, "You alright?"

Wiping her free hand across her forehead, Haruka frowned. "Could be better, could be worse. And yeah I think that was another bad one." She set the receiver back in the cradle and got out of the chair. "What happens if you don't find anybody to take over before the week is over?" Hope that he wouldn't leave until a replacement came was burning bright in her chest. _He cares for those ungrateful bitches to much to leave them alone. _

Reclaiming the seat, warmed by his aunt's body, Keitaro picked up his pad and pencil again. "If that's the case I'll have to commute here to continue answering calls until somebody comes." He would still leave but he'd continue to work for those he cared for. Haruka went to speak again but the phone rang, holding his hand up to stay her words, Keitaro answered the line. Haruka walked away once the grimace again crossed Keitaro's face. Another bad one.

X-X

After a full day of answering calls, only seven of which Keitaro deemed worthy of more checking, the ronin was finally forced out of the tea shop. Instructed to get some good food in him after he had admitted to wandering the town alone the whole previous day, Keitaro walked out of the tea shop only to bounce into the waiting Okinawan. "Oh Mutsumi-san how are you tonight?" Seven o'clock was technically night so Keitaro was a little worried to find her waiting.

Wasting no time, Mutsumi linked her arm with Keitaro and turned him away from the imposing staircase. "Kei-kun would you like to go out and get some supper with me?" Mutsumi asked already leading the ronin to her favorite beef bowl place. Resting her head on his shoulder, she was reminded of just how much she loved his smell.

Unable to refuse anybody of much, less when they were already dragging him off, Keitaro simply blushed at Mutsumi's forward actions. "I guess I can, not like I have anything else to do. But don't you have studying to do with Narusagawa?" Tests were very important things, Keitaro wouldn't let Mutsumi hurt her grades to insure he got a decent meal. Not hearing a reply but feeling Mutsumi's head rubbing against his arm and shoulder he tensed a little. _I can always count on her to make my day brighter. _He was really going to miss her.

Walking past all the other couples on the streets, Mutsumi clung to his arm tighter and walked with more bounce in her step. Passing through the doorway into both Keitaro and her own favorite eatery, she let go. "Kei-kun I'm not worried about tests or Na-chan. I'm worried about you." Tilting her head as she sat down, she saw that loveable confused look on his face. "We haven't spoken since the incident two days ago. How are things?"

Laughing ruefully at the changes in fate he'd encountered, Keitaro noticed Mutsumi's hand on the table waiting for his. "It's been a bad couple of days to be honest," he took her hand finally. No fear of upsetting Naru entered his mind, nothing but the want for comfort that Mutsumi radiated. "I don't know if anybody at the dorm knows yet, but I'm looking for a replacement. I can't take it there anymore." Words just came so naturally for him when Mutsumi was around.

Squeezing his hand tightly, the roughness of his palm tingled, Mutsumi's smile faded slightly. "Kei-kun they all know. Haruka-san showed them the newspaper ad you placed." She had no reason to lie to him, nor did she ever want to. "But I have to ask you, are you sure you want to leave?" If Keitaro still held the torch for Naru, Mutsumi would reluctantly continue to push the two towards each other. As much as her heart wanted Keitaro for her own, Mutsumi was as honor bound to a promise as Keitaro and she promised to see them a couple if they wished it. "If you leave that means leaving Na-chan."

"Leave Naru, how can I leave somebody that never really cared for me?" Keitaro shot out angrily. The waiter saw this and chose to avoid the table a little longer. Forcing his gaze away from the lovely woman before him to the door way, he didn't want her to see him this way. Couples came in and couples left, but he didn't see them. "I thought…no I won't lie, I did love her but I just can't take the pain anymore. I don't think I deserve it."

The hand not holding Keitaro's, caressed the man's cheek and forced him to look back at her. "You don't Kei-chan, you don't." She leaned over closer to him and kissed his cheek, "You deserve love." Pulling back to her seat, Mutsumi saw the stunned look on the man's face. She could see him asking her with his eyes, 'What did you do that for?' Rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand, she told him. "I love you Kei-chan. For as long as I've known you I've loved you. Naru, for her I'd let you go, but if what I'm hearing is true then…" she trailed off.

Such tenderness was in her words, and was in the tiny kiss she gave him. Her eyes spoke to him with truth and sincerity. He couldn't lie to himself, couldn't belittle Mutsumi's comments into a ploy to keep him at the dorm. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Mutsumi meant every word. "Mu-chan…I…" he choked up unable to form words to go with the emotion he felt. _How could I have not seen it all this time? I've always wanted to be loved but I was blinded by Naru to what really existed. _He smiled warmly at Mutsumi and nodded.

They didn't need any more words to convey it. Finally when the waiter came and they made their orders the pair started to talk again. Joking and playing with each other, enjoying the company they long sought but either didn't see or never expected to have. Setting his chopsticks on top of the empty bowl, Keitaro let out a gut buster sigh. "Ah I really needed that. Thanks Mu-chan for everything." Helping her to up, the pair headed for the door. "I guess I should be heading back to the dorm, want me to walk you home first though?"

Nodding, Mutsumi was building up her courage. Arm in arm the pair walked to the woman's apartment not two blocks away from the dorm. Once there and door open, Mutsumi kissed Keitaro's other cheek. "Goodnight Mu-chan, see you tomorrow?" he went to pull away but Mutsumi's arm refused to let go.

"How about you stay the night with me Kei-chan?" Mutsumi asked with all seriousness. He knew of her feelings and she knew of his, so she wanted to cement things. Sensing his apprehension, Mutsumi tugged lightly on his arm and pulled him in and shut the door behind them.

X-X

Author Notes

Well I've always said not enough Mu/Kei stories were out there. So you now officially know the pairing of this story. Hope ya enjoy it and keep reading.

This is also an alpha chapter, I'll clean it up with better spelling/grammar/wording tomorrow but I wanted to get this idea out so I can gauge how you all like it.

Maybe I'll expand upon the apartment scene if people really want that. Well anyway later!!

Mercaba


	4. Chapter 4

Standard Disclaimer

Well I'm going to have to disappoint a few of you at the moment but I'll make it up in the future. No apartment lemon for story purposes, you'll understand when you read. Hope you don't mind to much.

X-X

Fracture

Chapter – 4

Sitting at the breakfast table, Keitaro couldn't believe the change in Mutsumi's attitude. It hadn't struck him as odd during the few hours they had spent the previous day, but thinking back on it now Keitaro couldn't believe it. The Mutsumi from the day before had been driven, focused, and lacking the slight absentmindedness that he had come to associate with her. Now however, gleefully munching on watermelon strips, she seemed to be back to normal. "Mu-chan are you feeling alright?"

"Ara-Ara," Mutsumi cooed and wiped the dribble of juice off her lip, "I'm fine Kei-chan. And about last night…" her hand stalled from grabbing the next slice of the watery gourd. Last night had been the fulfillment of one of her most cherished dreams, and insured Keitaro's place in her heart. Fearing he'd leave her forever had created such stress in the Okinawan. Stress caused two types of reactions, for some people they fold under it and the task is lost. Others, Mutsumi included, focus and find skills and abilities in themselves that they weren't aware they had. After last night however, the stress was gone and Mutsumi's normal personality flooded back over her.

Running his finger around the rim of his coffee cup, Keitaro could tell what was bothering his girlfriend. "Don't worry about it Mu-chan we have plenty of days ahead of us." He reached out with his left hand and Mutsumi instantly took it and held if firmly. Sharing a steady glance at each other, Mutsumi nodded to Keitaro and put her free palm to her cheek, smiled, and giggled. "I guess I should be headed back to Haruka's to man the phone again. Never know if a good applicant will call when nobody is there to answer."

"What were you looking for again?" Mutsumi asked pleasantly. Her memory of the past few days was mixed up and for the life of her she couldn't remember why Keitaro was taking calls. "Did I say something silly?" she asked after Keitaro's head went slack and his shoulders hunched over.

Remembering how this lovely woman could just forget things that happened moments before, Keitaro hoped she remembered why he was there. "I'm looking for a replacement Mu-chan. I'm moving out of the dorm…you remember that right?" He hoped she did, it would be really hard to tell her everything again, the first time had been almost impossible.

Striking her palm with her liberated fist, Mutsumi's head bobbed, "I remember now! Oh and Kei-chan you'll have to tell Shinobu-chan about us gently when you get home ok?" Such a caring little girl, Mutsumi hoped she'd get over the painful truth quick enough. Seeing the confused look on Keitaro's face Mutsumi giggled again. "She does love you, you know so it'll hurt her to know that you are mine now." And he was, now that Mutsumi had tasted the fruit of his love she'd never let him go.

Keitaro reacted as if he had heard Tokyo University was fire bombed. Spitting out his coffee and making a nice mess on Mutsumi's table, Keitaro flailed his arms about in and spouted off denials. "She can't love me she's just a little girl, she can't possibly think that way. I'm just a dumb perverted man she couldn't…" Keitaro would have continued his self abuse had Mutsumi not covered his mouth with a finger.

With a benevolent smile Mutsumi responded, "You're really stupid aren't you Kei-chan." Her face tilted and her closed eyes didn't belie any hatred or spit. "She's a young woman, not a child. Shinobu loves you deeply so when you break it to her expect her to be upset with you. Be calm and patient with her." It would hurt for sure, young love is as large as the world and when destroyed it was as if the world died with it. Getting out from under the table, Mutsumi crawled over to the still stunned Keitaro and kissed his cheek tenderly. "She'll recover and she'll still care about you, my Kei-chan, but you can't hide this from them."

Nodding dumbly Keitaro suddenly didn't feel like going home so soon. Haruka could man the phone and he could just stay with Mutsumi all day. _Shinobu's such a sweet girl, how could she actually love a dope like me?_ Feeling himself being dragged up to his feet and herded for the door, Keitaro couldn't help himself, "Mu-chan what are you doing?"

"Throwing you out of course," she said in a matter of fact voice. "You're thinking of staying here to avoid talking to Shinobu-chan." Kissing his cheek again, she always did love kissing things and now that Keitaro was hers she intended to get her fill, she shoved him out her door. "I have classes as well Kei-chan so you do what you have to and I'll call you when I get home. Love ya." Shutting the door quickly before Keitaro could respond, Mutsumi practically skipped to her room to get ready for her classes with a grin on her face that not even a scalpel could have removed.

X-X

The walk to the tea shop had gone without incident, he hardly noticed it in reality. His mind was going over what Mutsumi had said to him, repeated like a broken record. Haruka didn't ask him about his state of dress, the same clothing he had left the shop, and the more relaxed attitude he had. She'd seen him leave with Mutsumi and was smart enough to put two and two together. Happy that her nephew finally broke out of his spiral of depression, Haruka was just hoping he didn't have a child on the way. Having him with a woman would also help with her small betrayal. Kanako had came in that morning, waking her up, questioned her relentlessly about the girls and Keitaro's plan for leaving, and vanished just as quickly.

Keitaro had no way of knowing that his ad, he paid to have it in the paper for the whole week, had been pulled out of circulation. All the ex-ronin knew was that the phone was dead and it left him time to think and remember. Reclining back in the leather chair, Keitaro broke his thought train of Shinobu by replaying the scene at Mutsumi's apartment just hours ago. _I had no idea I'd lose my virginity like that._

Going from depressed to confused by Mutsumi's confession of love and invitation to her apartment, Keitaro had experienced a whirlwind. Having no real experience with a woman, Keitaro didn't know what he was supposed to do alone with a loved one once invited in. The evening started with coffee in her living room, they chatted and joked. Mutsumi's stark concentration was lost on him thanks to his shock. After the coffee came watching an episode of Liddo-kun and friends from Mutsumi's VHS collection.

After the episode ended, Liddo-kun waving madly at the screen as his friends tried to crucify him, Mutsumi turned the television off and kissed him. Not the soft chaste kisses that she often gave to everybody, man or woman, it was full of carnal force. Swept up in the emotions he'd denied himself for so long, Keitaro gave into his baser instincts. Hands roamed each others bodies as their tongues performed a ballet with the other's. Twenty minutes of light petting pushed Mutsumi over the edge and she pulled the amorous man to her futon.

Clothing was shed quickly, almost like magic as they were kissing again. Laying on her back, Keitaro looked at her doubtfully.

"Are you sure?" Keitaro said to himself in Haruka's office, as the memory of his actions replayed in crystal clarity in his mind.

She was sure though, Mutsumi had waited and hoped for his moment ever since she could understand the longings in her body. Her mother had once asked her if she wanted to break her hymen during her training. It would have been terrible to have her training go to waste if the pain robbed her of the ability to perform. Such a thought was thrown away. If Keitaro didn't take it from her, Mutsumi had planned to die a virgin. Once he entered her though, Mutsumi rethought that decision.

To even the most novice of adults, the idea that the first time for a woman was painful was common knowledge. However the extent of said pain differed from woman to woman, and Mutsumi's body was wracked by it the moment Keitaro deflowered her. For him though she'd grin and bare it, had he not seen the tears. One pump in, he felt the rip and pulled out. Blood stained the powder blue comforter of the futon. Asking him what was wrong, Mutsumi didn't get an answer in words.

Lifting the woman in his arms, Kissing her cheek as she had often done to him, Keitaro led her to the bathroom and set her in the tub. It melted her heart, alleviated all doubts of her feelings for the man and his for her. Getting into the tub with her, on the other side, he felt the cramped quarters until she stood, turned around, and sat back down between his legs.

In that tiny tub, the two cleaned each other and let the warm water sooth them. Her body still hurt with each movement, but it was dimmed thanks to warm water and a hot body behind her. Finally as the water was cooled to room temperature, two hours later, Mutsumi got out dried herself and asked Keitaro to follow.

"Can't believe I lied to her so quickly," Keitaro mused to himself. Did she believe the lie? Keitaro doubted it. He told her he had to go to the bathroom, where in reality he performed a little job he had done many times before. His body ached for release, the lust he felt hadn't been sated by the one taste of a woman and the bath, so he took care of it. Thoughts of Naru were easily replaced with Mutsumi and after his finished, he flushed it away and headed back to his girlfriend laying in the futon, the red stain still there as a reminder that it hadn't been a dream.

"Who did you lie to Keitaro?" Kitsune asked catching the man in his daydream. When the man hadn't returned last night, Kitsune got worried. Afraid that Naru's last love tap had finally driven him away for good, Kitsune had beautiful nightmares about it. Finding him with a dopy grin on his face and talking about lies, Kitsune had a sneaking suspicion about what had kept him from the dorm.

Broken out of his thoughts, Keitaro jumped partially out of his chair. Sitting on the edge, Keitaro watched Kitsune saunter over. "Oh Kitsune, its nothing…H-Haruka asked if I was hungry and I said I wasn't." Food hadn't entered into Keitaro's mind all morning. With the lunch rush finally dying down it gave his new fib a little more credence. _But will she buy it?_ When the fox was involved, Keitaro's ability to outwit his opponent dropped.

Seeing through the attempt at subterfuge, Kitsune's suspicion increased. "Oh so that means you are hungry then? Since you bailed on buying me supper for helping you the other day why don't we go now?" Half her time was spent now, and now she was going to play hardball. "Doesn't look like you're that busy so how about it?" Swaying her hips and stepping hard to give her breasts a perky bounce, Kitsune turned up all her charms.

Where normally he'd have been swayed by her motions, following her pert breasts and supple behind, Keitaro found Kitsune's face a more inviting target to look at. "I'll have to decline Kitsune, can't leave the post." Why lie about his motives now? If what Mutsumi said was true the girls all knew he was planning on leaving. "Somebody could call while we were out and then I'd miss them."

Glad she shut the door, Kitsune wasn't finished yet. "How about we eat in here then Kei-chan?" Running a finger down her white button up shirt, Kitsune flicked open the top two to let the manager get a better view. "We could order in no reason we have to…" Kitsune stalked closer to the man that wormed his way into her affection. Standing at his side, watching him gaze at her bra-less chest, she felt giddy. Being seen like this, and her planning, was one hell of an aphrodisiac. _God I never knew having him just see me like this would make me so damn horny. _Leaning down next to his ear she added as sultry as she could, "eat out."

Doing his best to control his hormones and to size up Kitsune's game plan, Keitaro knew he had to take care of one thing first. His hands, not shaking as they used to, grasped the thin fabric of Kitsune's shirt. Careful not to touch her flesh, he pulled the shirt back together. "Kitsune what is this about honestly?" He cared for this woman, and he couldn't stand to see her cheapen herself to get something from him. Buttoning up the cotton sleeveless shirt, Keitaro never took his eyes away from Kitsune's.

Fighting back anger, Kitsune took Keitaro's arms by the wrist and pushed them down, holding them on the armrests of the chair. "Kei-chan this is about you and me." Coming to terms with how Keitaro thought about her flirtation, Kitsune was going to remedy his stereotype. "This is honestly me trying to make up for all the pain and grief I've caused you." Spinning Keitaro's chair, Kitsune held his arms down harder as she leaned in and brushed her front against him. _Damn it! Why isn't he turning into the babbling blushing idiot he always does?_

That black feeling she had created grew. His change could only be caused by one thing. The same thing she was trying to offer him now.

"You can do that by not degrading yourself like this Kitsune," Keitaro's voice was almost as soft as Kitsune's only it lacked the sexual energy. His was calm and pleasant, how one speaks to a friend in need. "I see you do these things and I can't help but worry about you." While his libido was vengeful at his stanch ignorance to the beautiful and sexy body pressed against his, Keitaro wouldn't betray Mutsumi by giving in. "You're such a gorgeous woman Kitsune and by acting like this you give out the wrong vibe. What if somebody else got the wrong idea about the way you act?"

Pushing away from Keitaro violently, Kitsune snarled. "What do you mean degrade myself Keitaro?" How the fuck could this keep happening! Did she have to strip nude and go down on him before he realized she actually cared for him? _And what is all this 'wrong vibe' shit he's saying!_ Taking a step back from him, arms wrapped around her waist, Kitsune gave Keitaro an annoyed glare. "What are you talking about…I came here to make amends for all the shit I gave you and this is how you accept it?"

Gauntlet thrown, Keitaro had started to say what he meant to for ages. "What I'm talking about Kitsune is this," he pointed to the re-unbuttoned shirt. "If I was the man that Naru and Motoko think I am what would have happened to you just now?" Never did Keitaro think that this woman loved him too, no she had to be aiming for something like always. "I'd have taken something from you that can't be given back. Hurt you in a way I can never hope to mend." Taking Kitsune's now open eyes as a sign he was getting through to her he pressed on. "Seeing you go out to the bars and coming back trashed, going to the betting parlors with all those seedy men, and how you treat me I can't help but worry."

Reaching out quickly, Keitaro held Kitsune's hand. "I'm afraid some man will take you when you're unprepared. Or you'll work up some debt that you can't pay back and…" Imaging Kitsune being violated in a back ally by some man she owed money too caused Keitaro to shudder. "Men would do just about anything to be with you Kitsune so I'm worried that by how you flirt you'll get the wrong type of attention."

Tears stung her eyes as she listened to the man bear his soul to her. All this time he was worried about her, even after all the misfortune she gave him. Her anger dissipated as she saw his fears for her. Memories of the last apartment she had, her old manager doing exactly what Keitaro feared. _I was a fool for not seeing it._ Her head dropped as did her hands. She was living a lie, lying to herself and everybody she knew. Running from the truth and turning to vices to get through life without remembering the pain.

Watching the change in the woman in front of him, Keitaro was compelled to hug her. The fire was out of her it appeared, eyes watery and growing red, her body quivered, and she just looked suddenly fragile. Holding her lightly with unsure hands, Keitaro didn't know what caused the change. "Kitsune…did I say something wrong?" if he had why she was letting him hold her was a mystery.

Such tenderness in his voice broke her emotional wall down. Crushing him against her in a bear hug, Kitsune cried into his chest. She cried for what felt an eternity as Keitaro patted her head and made soothing murmurs to calm her. Finally as her tears dried, broke out of his embrace and sat on the desk. Crying had made her feel better, letting out all the bitterness she held inside. It was time to come forward, finally tell somebody about it and face reality. Her hand never released Keitaro's as she started talking.

"I was sixteen when it happened," she looked past Keitaro at the wall but not seeing it. "My mother remarried my step-father and I hated him. So like all stupid kids I ran away from home." The man wasn't a bad man, he didn't hit her or abuse her, but he wasn't her daddy so she hated him. "I got myself a job as a waitress at a restaurant and a studio apartment." Rubbing her thumb over Keitaro's hand, Kitsune choked back a sob that threatened to overcome her. "At first everything was fine, the manager there seemed like a nice guy."

The man in question was at the time middle aged and already balding and overweight. "I made a mistake at work and got fired after three weeks. I was afraid that I'd be evicted for not having the money to pay the rent but he said it was ok. He said he'd wait for me to get another job and charge me back rent." How gullible she was back then, so naive to the world. "My mom tried helping me but my pride wouldn't let me take her money. I saw it as coming from her new husband and not her so I kept trying to find another job." It went without saying that she never told Naru or her other friends at the time about it, no they didn't even know she moved out. It was her stupidity that got her into it, she wouldn't drag them in.

"After a month of trying and no luck he called me to his apartment. I thought 'this is it he's going to kick me out." It would have been so much better had that been the case, but reality was harsh and uncaring. "I trusted him so I went to his apartment fully expecting a smile and an apology."

Keitaro wasn't the smartest man, but he was smart enough to know where Kitsune was headed with her story. "Mitsune if you want to stop you can…You don't have to tell me this." How much had she suffered Keitaro couldn't fathom. Keeping this in all these years, and now after all he had said. Sticking his foot in his mouth and stirring up these bad memories.

Not missing the name change, Kitsune shook her head. "No Keitaro I have to tell you this. I've kept it in to long." Gazing into his eyes, she saw love there, if it was real or not she didn't care, she'd believe for the rest of her life that in that moment they connected on a level transcending words. "Anyway…When I got there he sat me down in his room and said it simply. 'I have a way for you to stay here without paying.'" She should have noticed the intent he had by the room itself. Full of posters of women and a stack of adult magazines in the corner.

"When I asked him what he meant, I was so happy at the prospect, he took my hand and guided it to his pants." Looking at her left hand, disgust in her eyes, a lone tear streaked down her face. "I did it. To proud to go home and seek help, to stubborn to ask friends for money, and to gullible to think that it was anything but a one time thing." Laughing at the irony of her life and how she ran away from her pain by indulging in the same things. "For another four months I was at his beck and call. The things he had me do to stay there without 'paying' went the full spectrum of disgust."

"Mitsune…I'm so sorry," Keitaro said as he felt his stomach churn and bile rising in his throat. "I didn't mean to…I didn't know." His earlier mood was smashed on the rocks of Kitsune's story of her past that he hadn't know, that nobody knew.

Chuckling to herself, Kitsune cocked her head back and sighed. "After the fourth month my lease was up and I ran home. Never told my parents about it, nor Naru and my old friends, but sure a sugar Granny Hina knew. That old bat just took one look at me, hugged me and told me it would never happen to her here. All on the first day I moved in." That old woman was magic incarnate with the uncanny ability to just 'see' people. "Only she and you know."

"If you want it that way I'll never say a word to anybody. I promise." Keitaro's jaw was straight and firm. An unfamiliar sensation was fueling his heart…rage. How anybody could violate a young woman who was down on her luck seemed impossible to him. But Kitsune was living proof that people aren't all kind. "Is their anything I can do for you?"

With Keitaro's promise in mind, Kitsune knew her past was safe with him. Telling it to him made her feel better, having to confront it alone for so long was maddening, but she had her vices to rely on. Drink when the memories came back, lose herself in gambling, and on the worst times write. It was time to move on, time to heal, and she owed it to Keitaro and his worries. For all she owed him she asked, "Kiss me."

Blushing Keitaro looked away from her, she asked so sincerely, with open eyes. "Mitsune I c-can't." Not because he thought she was dirty, what that man did to her didn't dirty her at all. "I'm with somebody now."

"Mutsumi I'd bet," Kitsune said nodding to her own speculation. "And I'm not asking you to make love to me Keitaro. Though if you ever want to…I'll give myself freely to you." Again her honesty baffled Keitaro. Hopping off the desk and leaning over Keitaro again, only this time not holding him down or rubbing against him, her libido was as dead as Keitaro's. "All I want is one kiss, could be on the cheek if you want, to commemorate this moment. I owe you so much Keitaro, come to care a lot about you, and now that you're off the market I want a simple taste of what I missed."

Sharing another long gaze with her, Keitaro's face split into a soft smile while he cupped Kitsune's cheek. He kissed her chastely on the lips, held it for a moment, and the parted. Kitsune didn't say another word to him, just grinned, wiped another tear away and walked out of the room closing the door behind her. Once the door was closed and she was alone with her thoughts she murmured, "You better take good care of him Turtle-girl or I'll steal him from you." But the idea of Mutsumi ever treating Keitaro with another other than affection was laughable.

X-X

Anger, betrayal, frustration, and a host of even darker emotions assaulted Naru's mind as she stormed up the stairs to the dorm. Mutsumi had the audacity to flaunt her newfound happiness. _Didn't even wait a day before jumping in a girl to pump…he really is a damn pervert._ It wasn't possible for Mutsumi to genuinely care of Keitaro, no he had to have done something to the girl to get her to do it. _But why was she so happy then? If he was holding something over her then she'd have been sad right? _

Walking past the couch with the slumbering Kitsune, Naru headed straight towards Keitaro's room. When she passed the tea house she didn't see him so he had to be in the dorm. "Likely doing perverted things in his room and thinking about Mutsumi," Naru ground her teeth at the thought.

Mutsumi's conversation during the lull between classes was very specific. The fact that the woman was practically glowing didn't register in Naru's mind. Only Keitaro's betrayal. All the lies he told her, saying he loved her, his leaving, all of it was just a damn ruse to get into somebody's pants and it was Mutsumi that took the bait. "I'll make that bastard pay." Prying his broken door open, Naru saw the man inspecting the hole he made passing through it. "Bastard!"

Spinning around quickly, the man level Naru with a hard stare before saying a word. "Are you here to fix the damage you caused?" Dropping a piece of splintered wood on the ground he stepped closer to the angry woman. "Or are you here to yell at me more, hit me again?"

Stomping closer, she was going to answer him alright! "I heard what you did yesterday while you were out. Pig!" Pulling her arm back for a full force Naru Punch she never expected what happened next. All her confusion was thrown with that punch only to have it caught. He had caught her fist with his own and held it firm. "How could you do that to me!"

"Do what to you? Stop you from hurting me or what I did yesterday?" he asked with an uncharacteristic calmness. Squeezing his hand which held hers he was rewarded with a pain filled squeak from Naru's clenched mouth. _How much does she know?_

Fighting to reclaim her fist and try again, Naru pulled frantically. "Let me go you bastard and its both! What you did, who you did it with, and…and…you're just disgusting!" Why couldn't it have been her damn it! Despite how she treated the man, Naru would have given him anything he asked for, she told herself. Fearing he'd leave forced her to come to terms with her own emotions, and she would stop lying to herself about it. She told herself.

But action did speak louder than words and thoughts, her fist was still pulsating in its encasement. "Why should I let you go after everything you've done? What does it matter to you what I do anyway?" His eyebrow twitched as a few ideas crossed his mind, things to check and confirm. "Would you rather it was you?"

All resistance stopped as those docile words entered her ears. Stopping mid-pull Naru just looked at Keitaro. "What are you saying huh? Would you betray her already?" The hope in her voice made her sick to her stomach. Calling him a pervert would have been legitimate if he was already thinking of infidelity, but she wanted him. All this time she did, but couldn't accept it. _I knew he loved me…Mutsumi was just an accident. _

Swift pull, Naru was in his arms, wrapped tightly. Lips clashed, his tongue slide effortlessly into her stunned mouth. A moment of panic, Naru thrashed out violently only to be held tighter in his arms. Thoughts of resisting and breaking free died as a hope was realized. Keitaro stopped being so easy to intimidate, stood up for himself, be became a daring and controlling man. The Keitaro of her dreams.

_This just confirms everything I've been told._ Kanako shoved the girl out of her grip and to the floor. "You disgust me, hypocrite." Kanako stood over the paralyzed Naru. The girl could only look up at 'Keitaro' in silence. Chest heaving, face flush, and panting slightly Naru looked ready to try what Kitsune had earlier. "Calling somebody a pervert but getting so anxious over a kiss from somebody you claim to hate."

"But I don't…don't hate you Keitaro…why did you do that?" Naru asked finally finding her voice again. Hadn't they just made up, gotten together? He had kissed her with such passion that it caused a dampening in her panties for Heaven's sake. "You love me…I know you do."

Snorting out harshly, Kanako still pretending to be Keitaro sneered. "Love you? No, not anymore." Kanako heard about the affection her beloved brother had for this bitch. Finding out that Naru loved him back was a shock, but easy to tear about and use as a weapon to have her vengeance. "I hate you. Hurt is the only thing that comes to mind when I see you. Hitting, slander, and the cold shoulder," Haruka's report had been very complete. "I wouldn't bat an eyelash if I never saw you again."

Cold and numb. Her world was turning cold and numb. Such venom in his voice and hate in his eyes. This wasn't the Keitaro Naru fell in love with! "But…you said…I'm sorry." Scrambling on her hands and knees to his leg, Naru wrapped her arms around it. "Anything…I'll do anything for you to forgive me…take me back." To hell with Mutsumi, Naru thought. Keitaro was hers first and if the polite Okinawan had to be hurt so be it. _He was mine first…I just wasn't ready. _

"Anything?" Kanako was reveling in this. From all accounts this woman begging her was a violent and prudish woman. Plus anybody that hurt her brother must pay, only she could be with him. _He promised we'd run this place together._

Nodding quickly, Naru meant it, anything to have him not hate her. "Anything you want is yours, just ask."

Laughing hotly, Kanako just rolled her eyes. "Funny, you call me a pervert but what's the first thing you offer me when you learn I want nothing to do with you? You're body. Maybe you're the pervert after all." Kanako had spent too much time away from her brother, hadn't known anything about this girl. Now it looked like she was almost to late to separate them.

"Yes yes…I'm your pervert…just you," love fueled Naru's voice. For him, she learned, she wanted to do everything. Denial only worked so long when the thing you feared most reared its ugly head. _I can't lose him after I found how dear to me he is…I can't!_

"Naru what are you doing in my room?" the real Keitaro asked as he opened his door. When he walked in, he heard Naru's words. Saw her wrapped around the leg of somebody that looked like him. Knowing of his sister's special skills at ventriloquism and disguise, Keitaro didn't take long to figure things out. "What are you doing Kanako?"

Seeing two Keitaro's, Naru's mind finally had to much input and she fainted. Laughing dryly, Kanako pulled her mask off and rushed into the arms of her brother. Punishment was to be meted out to these ungrateful women, Naru's wasn't finished by a long shot, but for now Kanako was happy to be in her beloved brother's arms.

X-X

Author Notes

Well having fun with this now. I know my rendition of Mutsumi might have seemed off before, but it was as I put it in this chapter. People act strange or different to stress. That's all the defense I'll give to this. Hope ya liked it

Later

Mercaba


	5. Chapter 5

Standard Disclaimer

Yeah I need to stop apologizing for being late with chapters but I just have little time to write. My job makes me so tired during the week that I can't find time to do it. Well enough of my excuses…

X-X

Fracture

Chapter 5

Sitting around the supper table, Kanako taking Naru's place, the air felt heavy with unasked questions and the presence of one glowing Mutsumi Otohime. After surprising her brother with an impromptu hug that lasted a little long for Keitaro's taste, the reluctant manager lifted the unconscious girl into his arms and deposited her, with Kanako supervising, into her futon. After that necessary task was finished the siblings spent a good time conversing and catching up with each other.

Kanako was full of stories about Grandma Hina's adventures and of her own training, and Keitaro confirmed all of Haruka's discourse. While Kanako grinned, laughed, and enjoyed her brother's calming aura, she couldn't however push down the anger she held for the women at the dorm. Women that had hurt and scared her beloved oniichan. While they repaired Keitaro's room, the other residents made their way home from school.

Shinobu went immediately to the kitchen start cooking. It helped to keep her hands busy, that way she wouldn't have time to think about how her beloved sempai was going to leave her. Sure the dreams of him scooping her up in his arms and carrying her away with him as he left was beautiful, but Shinobu knew such couldn't be.

Suu pouted in her room as she attempted to make something that would astonish her quasi-brother so much that he had to stay and find out more about it. That or upgrade her Keitaro-tracker so she could find him whenever she wanted.

And as the last of the boards where put back into place in the wall, Motoko was settling into her room. Her heart, mind, and body were in a state of disarray and confusion. Never before had she looked at herself as a woman with physical needs and emotional wants. She had been born and bred a warrior. She had wanted to be a cold and calculated samurai, capable of feats beyond normal comprehension, much like her sister. Now however, she knew why her sister took a husband. Though another, ones inner strength can be fully unleashed. The perfect blade is useless if nobody wields it.

The last resident woke up from her nap just in time to hear the soft knock on the door. Kitsune had felt so drained after her talk with Keitaro, a good feeling she would have admitted, that she passed out on the couch the moment her head hit the pillow. Now refreshed if not a little unsure of herself she answered the door only to find the face of the woman that took what she come to want. Staring into the face, that perfectly beautiful face, of Mutsumi an uncomfortable silence fell between them that was only broken by Shinobu's call to supper.

An uncertain energy bounced around the table as the residents filled their plates. Keitaro was first to speak, having received many glares at his sister. "Everybody I'd like to introduce my sister, Kanako Urushima." Kanako bowed her head as gasps escaped the table. "She's been staying with Granny Hina for a while and chose to come visit now." His tone was a little off its normal stride, mostly due to his feelings of shame. She had come to see him work and he was going to run away from the dorm.

"Ara Ara I'm glad to meet you Kanako-chan," Mutsumi cooed and extended her hand. Wrapping her long fingers around the course and ridged digits of Kanako's hand Mutsumi was quick on the uptake. From the feeling of flesh, Mutsumi could tell that Kanako had trained her fists hard and long, the mark of a fighter. The firmness of the grip belied anger, and when Mutsumi leaned against Keitaro deeper, she where that anger came from. _Isn't that sweet she loves her brother like a man._

Sipping her water, no more excess saki for her, Kitsune giggled. "For a second their Kei-chan I thought you were going to tell us she was your fiancé. You two sure don't look very similar." Like Mutsumi, Kitsune had seen enough tells on the girls face from Mutsumi's small touches to Kanako's 'brother' to know that the girl didn't like it.

"F-F-Fiance? Sempai I thought you said she was your sister," Shinobu gushed having only heard selectively. She hard that magical word 'Fiance' and lost herself to delusion. A world where she was married to the man, the supper table set for them and them alone. And after they ate they walked into their bedroom and did whatever it was that sex was. Still blissfully unaware of the facts of life, Shinobu didn't really know what sex was, just that those who cared for each other had it. "W-why would you be leaving if your f-fiance was here?"

The emotions in the room were growing lighter, at least that's how Keitaro felt it. Tension leaving and Shinobu's outburst was a big cause of it. Laughing lightly, "No Shinobu-chan, Mitsumi was just joking." Keitaro missed the shocked looks on Motoko and Mutsumi's face at the change in the Fox's name, and Kanako's sour expression at how quickly he denounced a potential marriage. But with the cat out of the bag, Keitaro felt it time to confess to Kanako, "Kanako-chan didn't know I was planning on resigning and I've been hiding it from her." Turning to his sister he bowed low, "Kanako I'm sorry for keeping it from you but I'm not going to be the manager here soon."

Never one to let her brother hurt himself over nothing, Kanako gently pushed him back up. "Silly oniichan I knew before I came that you planned to leave. Haruka told me over the phone the other day and that was one of the main reasons I came." The premier reason was to exert punishment on some bitches. But looking around the table, Kanako couldn't sense any animosity in them, not like Haruka described it. _Something is different here, it is almost overflowing with positive energy. _Stealing a look at the bashful young woman, Shinobu, Kanako knew where to start her official questioning. "The inn must never be run by anybody other than an Urushima. So I will be taking over for you. If you chose to leave."

Keitaro's familiar use of Kitsune's real name put on the back burner, Mutsumi smiled brightly, "That's wonderful Kei-chan! That means you don't have to answer calls anymore and can move in with me." Her words, while said in normal conversational tones, reverberated with such power that the silence that followed was deafening. Yes she could have been more subtle in telling the other women the truth, but when it came to matters of love and life the Otohime clan were much like junkyard dogs. Blunt and to the point.

A pin drop would have sounded like a car back firing the stillness was so profound. Kanako just alternated between her blushing brother and the grinning harpy, Motoko's jaw dropped and her hand quivered unseen under the table. She'd have to speak with him and confirm this, and maybe just maybe say what her heart knew was true. Suu stopped eating and beset upon Keitaro the worst case of puppy-dog eyes he'd ever seen. Mitsumi simply shook her head, already knowing the truth didn't make it any less painful.

Her world died a little at the softly said words, Shinobu paled. "No…it's a lie! That can't be right!" She yelled as she pushed herself out from the table. All eyes on her, Keitaro's full of regret told her more than any words could. "It's not fair!" tears already started to fall down her cheeks as her hopes, dreams, and aspirations were set aflame by one sentence. Running from the dining room to her bedroom as fast as she could, she never heard the calls of her name, just the slam of her door and the covers over her head as she hugged the large bear that Keitaro had won for her. _It's a lie one big lie!_

Back in the dining room, Keitaro felt torn. He wanted to tell the other girls the truth about his new relationship with Mutsumi but his concern for Shinobu was overpowering. Mutsumi knew it, and knew that he'd be soft to tell her himself so that was why she took the bullet for him. Touching his had, "Go to her Kei-chan. Let her know you still care for her but her feelings for you couldn't have born fruit." A kiss to the cheek confirmed Mutsumi's allegations and set Keitaro off running. Turning back to the other girls, "So who is up for a jump in the onsen I could really use a bath," she said smiling.

X-X

Standing outside her door, Keitaro couldn't be how afraid he was of the young woman. She had cried, she had been upset, and it was his fault. Mutsumi's use of the term 'young woman' reverberated in his head, he couldn't treat Shinobu like a child in this matter. He wouldn't demean her or cheapen her feelings. But oh did he want to run away or let somebody else handle this. Tapping on her door lightly with his knuckles, he asked "Shinobu are you in there?" It was a stupid question if there ever was one, where else would she be?

As he expected he didn't get an answer. Calling out again through the door, "I'm coming in Shinobu-chan." Sliding the door open, noting the darkness in the early evening hours, he flipped the light switch. There against the wall on her bed was the quivering lump of comforter that hid Shinobu's body. A lump formed in his throat keeping him from speaking. How could he have been so blind to the emotions Shinobu had for him? This sort of reaction had to indicate something even to his dense sense of feeling. Sitting on her bed, he heard a meep come from under the blanket. "Shinobu-chan?"

She could smell him through the blanket and it drove her emotions on another whirlwind. Pain, sadness, misery, and depression spun into a maelstrom in her young heart. "Go away!" she yelled out loud. Did she want him to go? Never in her life would she want him to leave. But she didn't want him to see her like this, a snot dribbling crying mess. If he saw her like this it would all but drive him into Mutsumi's arms. She flinched as she felt the blanket being pulled down and exposing her to the outside world again, away from the safeness of her hiding place.

"Shinobu-chan I think we have to talk about a few things," Keitaro started of slowly. Where he had in the past fantasized about Kitsune having feelings for him, never did he think he'd be having this conversation with Shinobu. The girl was beautiful, caring, sweet, and just plain perfect. She would make some boy very happy, but that man wasn't him. Being as gentle as possible he forced Shinobu into a seated position. At first she resisted his touch, shied away from it, but quickly melted into his embrace.

Sliding her feet off the bed and inching her petite body next to his, Shinobu sat leg-to-leg with her beloved sempai. "It's true what Mutsumi-sempai said isn't it," her voice had no power, borderline dead. How else could she react to learning her world had come to an end. Keitaro was taken from her, the only man that treated her kindly, the only man she cherished so. "You're going to go away and leave us all here to be with her." And why not, the Okinawan was his perfect match.

Wrapping his right arm around the small woman, Keitaro pulled to against his chest and held her in a light embrace. "Is that what you really think I'll do?" Her shampoo was singing to his nose of its fragrance, was it something else she did hoping he'd notice? "While I might be with Mutsumi now that doesn't mean that I'll abandon any of you girls here."

Basking in the warmth of his hug, Shinobu felt a little braver. "But aren't you sempai? You're not going to be the manager here anymore so aren't you leaving us?" She reached out and grabbed his left hand with her own and held it. If this was to be the last close moment with him she wanted to remember everything she could. "I don't want you to go," she added almost too weak to hear.

Hearing her talk so morosely was driving daggers into his heart. It pained him to hear the sorrowful plea escape her lips, almost as if she didn't want to speak her opinion. Giving her shoulder a light tug, "Don't think of it like that Shinobu-chan. I'm leaving here because as much as I like it here, it's not right, not if I'm with Mutsumi. I care about all of you girls a lot. You became something of another little sister to me." Shinobu's head peaked up and gazed into his eyes looking for a sign of deception and found none. "I know it's not what you wanted to hear, and I'm sorry to tell it to you." He loved Shinobu, that wasn't even a debatable question, but it was sisterly. He loved her but wasn't in love with her.

"S-sempai is it something I did that's driving you away from us here?" Shinobu's gaze was locked on his. She wanted to look away, afraid of his answer, but she couldn't. Her body was solid and refused to minds command to break free. "I know you liked Naru-sempai for a long time but now…now you say you're with Mutsumi-sempai." Her mind couldn't fathom all that was happening around her. All she knew was Keitaro was leaving and that she never had a chance with him.

Her eyes were hard, Keitaro noticed. Such determination and courage in that young face that Keitaro was appalled at how he'd hurt her. "No Shinobu, you were one of the few that kept me going for as long as I did. I just can't stand the pain anymore. Naru and Motoko meant well in their actions, protection you and the Suu, from what they thought was a bad man. It hurt so much to have the one you love hurt you so badly." Seeing her not understand he elaborated. "Think how you would feel if everyday I said your food was horrible and refused to eat it?"

"I'd feel bad…I'd try harder," which was true, but Shinobu was starting to grasp Keitaro's feelings. How would she feel if he had been mean to her all this time, never help her, always ridiculing and name calling. _I'd have runaway ages ago…oh Sempai! _She was starting to understand that Keitaro had to leave, and not being alone was the best.

Pulling her head close to him, Keitaro kissed her forehead. "Never think for an instant Shinobu that I don't care about you or the rest of the girls here. But I have to leave before things change that." She nodded and blushed at his words and actions and he smiled his best smile for her. "I'll always love you as a sister Shinobu, and I know that one day some lucky boy will replace me in your heart. You'll make him happier than I could ever make you."

Her face was burning as she tried to memorize the texture of his lips against her forehead, but it was fading to fast. His words about other boys sounded like a fib, but she'd let him think she believed him. "Sempai…will you visit?"

"Of course I'll visit. And when that boy comes to call I'll be their to make sure he treats you well." Keitaro's features contorted into a mock grimace, "Because if anybody goes to hurt my Shinobu-chan I'll have to show him that we Urushima's take care of our own." He heard her giggling and hugged her again, she wasn't her normal self but she was healing. Getting down on one knee and dabbing the few remaining tears away, "You're a beautiful and caring woman Shinobu, I was flabbergasted when Mutsumi said you had feelings for me. I didn't believe it because I don't think I merit such tenderness from you. For what it's worth if I were younger or you older," he shrugged, smiled and patted her head. "So…how about some ice cream?"

Her face was still flush from all the attention she was getting but she shook her head. "I'm sorry sempai but I want to be alone for awhile if that's ok with you." Despite all he said her chest still felt cold and empty as if part of her were removed never to be had again. Releasing his hand she watched him leave her room and shut the door quietly before she felt the tears coming again. While she still did cry for her loss, it didn't feel as painful now.

Kanako dropped from the ceiling outside of her door, she'd listened to everything. _You are free of anything I'd do. You helped my oniichan where the others didn't. I respect that. _And to be honest Kanako was a little jealous of the sentiment between the young woman and her brother, but she wouldn't act on it. "I'm sorry for your loss," she whispered before heading to the onsen where the other girls were gathering.

X-X

In a semi-circle in the sulfurous waters three women sat with a myriad of composures. Mutsumi had an almost regal bearing, one of success and happiness, and oblivious to the baleful glare of Kitsune and the confused almost longing look of Motoko. While the Fox wasn't going to try and break up the newly found relationship her manager had, she wasn't going to pull punches either. Just looking at the joy seeping out of Mutsumi filled Kitsune with jealousy. As for the sword maiden, she was just confused and full of doubt. Up until recently her life had been set in stone with a solid beginning, middle, and end for herself firmly fixed in her mind.

That wasn't true anymore. She saw how happy Mutsumi was, heard the declaration that Keitaro was going to move in with her, and longed to understand. _Why must my heart have chosen now to awaken to what I could have had?_ She sat carefully in the onsen to insure no revisiting of events past. "So…Mutsumi-san you said that Urushima will be moving i-in with you?" Would they, could they, have they already tasted of each other, Motoko wanted to know.

Giving the raven haired woman a big head bob, Mutsumi's smile almost emitted light. "Oh yes, Kei-chan can move in with me if he chooses." Stretching her arms above her head and arching her back, Motoko looked down at her own budding breasts and another bout of envy hit her. "With him moving out of here I see no reason he wouldn't move in with me…that is unless he'd like to move back with me to Okinawa." Now that was a pleasant thought.

"Move to Okinawa! Why the hell would he be doing that?" Kitsune fired off and slapped her palm on the open water making a loud pop. She'd let Mutsumi be his lover but she wasn't going to let the woman take him away from all of them completely. _I might not be his wife but I can damn well be his friend…maybe with benefits. _Gathering her wits about her, Kitsune was ready to enter the battle, even if Motoko were to back Mutsumi. "I know you're seeing each other but that doesn't give you the right to plan his life for him."

Feeling Kitsune's gaze on her, pleading for support, Motoko felt a burning in her. She didn't want Keitaro gone either. His pleasant manner and caring nature were far from vile, and she couldn't deny what she wrote anymore. _Of him and myself together. It cannot be but that doesn't quell my feelings. _Clearing her throat, all the while getting out of Mutsumi's arm range, "I agree with Kitsune-san, he has planned to attend Tokyo-University for so long. How can you expect him to give that up?"

_You two are two late, I gave you all time to move and now I'm done waiting. _Mutsumi's smile hid her true motives. She'd never give him up now, Keitaro was hers as she was his. "Oh but you two forgot that he wanted to attend that university to meet his promised girl. Correct?" Through her half closed eyes, Mutsumi was sizing up the reaction. Seems her girlfriends forgot something about Keitaro's motives. "And since he is with me now he has no reason to hunt after a girl that has already spurned him."

While she was about to retort, Mutsumi's comment about the promised girl spurning Keitaro sent a shockwave through her thoughts. "Wait…the only person to do that was…N---aru." FUCK! Kitsune's mind was throwing up all the red cards it could find and signaling her to abort this little battle. Mutsumi had far too many cards up her sleeve for her to contend with.

Motoko however didn't have such a skilled mind for the battle of the minds. "Are you saying that Naru was Keitaro's promised girl?" What a shock that would have been to the two of them had they known. Sure they had thought it was the case ages ago, but they had learned it was wrong…but if Mutsumi is saying this she must have a reason. "Why are you saying that?"

"Ara Ara," Mutsumi giggled and rubbed her cheek. "I'm saying it because it is true silly. Well to be honest he had two promised girls, and I was the other." Her smile dropped a little and her hand fell into the water. "I promised Na-chan in private that I would give Keitaro to her if she got better, she was very sick as a child. She looked so happy at the time, but after seeing how she treats him now I couldn't hold myself back." Did she have to tell the other two women she gave them a shot too? No they must have known that already by now.

Motoko's hair stewed up in the water as she looked at her reflection. "All this time…we thought that…and here you were. I never had a chance did I?" she asked truthfully to the woman she both liked and feared. Anybody that could beat her so quickly was to be feared, but her personality was to inviting to hate her.

The Fox's ears light up at Motoko's confession of actually wanting a chance with Keitaro, and Mutsumi darted to the fallen warrior's side before she could act. Bringing Motoko into a light embrace Mutsumi pulled back the wet hair to Motoko's back. "Sssh now dear. You would have if you would have let yourself be weak on occasion. I let everybody hear have an attempt at Kei-kun. I wanted him happy even if it wasn't with me, but none of you could see him for what he was." Rubbing Motoko's shoulders as Kitsune's regret kicked in, Mutsumi finished, "But now that you know that men can be trusted even loved maybe you have hope."

It was different this time, Motoko thought. Last time Mutsumi had touched her it created such lust in her body that it hurt, but now it was comforting and warm. It was eating the tension and fear. _Maybe she's right…Keitaro wasn't the pervert I thought he was maybe I can find somebody of my own. _But she wanted Keitaro right now. "Mutsumi-san…would you ever…just once let me a-"

"Never," Mutsumi said just as softly as Motoko had asked. Turning to Kitsune and finding the Fox with a sheepish grin on her face, "that goes for you as well Mitsune." Mutsumi said that name to prove a point. She knew something happened between Keitaro and Kitsune but she wouldn't doubt her boyfriends honor but she wasn't going to let the Fox have a chance at her things. "I would give my life for him, but I will not share him."

Sighing heavily Kitsune wrapped her towel around her body tightly and stepped out of the onsen. "I guess you beat us…not that we knew what we wanted until it was to late. But now let me warn you Otohime Mutsumi. If you ever hurt him you can trust I'll be all over him before you can eat a slice of watermelon." Walking out of the bath area and into the changing room, Kitsune heard murmurings from the two women as she left.

Bucking slightly under the gentle rubs and relaxation techniques Mutsumi was administering, Motoko felt herself speaking as well. "Or if Kitsune-sempai fails I will take her place. Keitaro has done much for me…so much I could never repay him, and I to wish for his happiness." Be it with Mutsumi, Kitsune, or anybody that would love him as she wished too.

Should she feel threatened or happy that these two women had learned what mattered wasn't looks or charm but the content of ones heart? Mutsumi was glad Keitaro and to a degree she affected them. "If I hurt him I won't feel any anger at either of you for trying." But she'd sooner break her own bones than hurt that man. _We have waited so long…now the time is ours. _

X-X

Walking about the dormitory with a hint of nostalgia, Keitaro felt a small ache inside at the thought of leaving the old place. It wasn't just full of pain and misery; no he had plenty of happiness and joy as well. The girls, despite their faults, were great people and he was glad to have met all of them. But if he stayed and things continued as they had then that opinion might change. It was for the best, leave while the good outweighed the bad. Walking into the living room, television still on but nobody watching, he grabbed the remote and took a nice sit. "I guess I can trust Kanako to take care of all of them."

"K-Keitaro?" a timid voice called out from the kitchen. For a moment Keitaro thought it was Shinobu choosing to take him on his treat idea, but when Naru walked into the room clutching at her button up white t-shirt, he knew better. "Is that really you Keitaro?" she asked with more energy in her voice.

Flipping on a news broadcast and setting the remote down, Keitaro got into a better seated position. While he didn't know what happened between Kanako and Naru, he was smart enough to know seeing two of the same person was likely to cause some problems. Hell Lamba-Su scared the hell out of him. "Sure it's me Naru. Looks like you meet my sister before the rest of the girls did." He tried to sound upbeat but old memories and broken feelings were eating at his confidence.

"Sister…but it was you…you said you hated me." Naru said but her face scrunched up in confusion. Keitaro couldn't have said those horrible things to her, it had to have been a dream. Yes a really bad dream. But those feelings were real. She'd been lying to herself so long, denying her feelings for Keitaro out of fear for what would happen. Now Mutsumi had him, but that could change couldn't it? Men and women's hearts were fickle.

Moving to the far side of the couch to give Naru some space to sit, Keitaro rubbed his nose nervously. He didn't hate Naru, not at all, but he wasn't too happy with her either. She'd treated him worse than a dog as of late, and just yesterday she punched him out of his room. "I couldn't…hate you ever Naru. I never could."

Taking his invitation Naru sat on the side furthest from Keitaro, best to not put on to much airs to quickly. "I knew it must have been a dream. I just saw you in your room and I heard Mutsumi saying so many things at the college and I got so mad…then I saw another you and I just…" Decided that being awake and facing reality was to much. But here she sat just like she always wanted. Keitaro and her alone together with nobody to interrupt them or get in their way. No Mutsumi, Kitsune, Motoko, or even Shinobu just her and Keitaro. "Keitaro…what did happen yesterday after I…hit you?"

Turning away from his ex-love, Keitaro lost his sight on the television where the talking heads were talking about odd weather patterns. "After you hit me I manned the phone down at Haruka's until the end of the day. When I got off Mutsumi offered to take me out for some supper." How much to tell her…all of it? She deserved to know the truth and not have it baited and hinted at. Hell maybe Mutsumi already told her.

"Was that all Keitaro, she treated you to diner and you slept on her couch?" Naru asked with such hope in her voice. All Mutsumi said was that they slept together, no reason to believe they had sex right? Of course not, Mutsumi was just being Mutsumi and using odd words again. Right it had to be that. "Right Keitaro?"

_These last few days have been really hell on me haven't they?_ Keitaro mused about his luck after making his choice to leave Hinata. Scooting closer to Naru he took her hand in his. So much more confident in himself after Mutsumi staked her claim, he felt like he understood more. "What Mutsumi said was true. I stayed over, we watched some television, talked, and then…we both chose to try having a life together." He could feel the old feelings in his heart shattering as he told her. He had to face his past if he wanted to be honest to Mutsumi.

Her eye twitched, then her hand twitched, her whole body was vibrating. She wanted to hit him, call him names, or anything she could to hurt him as she felt her self hurting. It wasn't right! He was hers! "Keitaro…is their any chance…any sliver of hope that you'll leave her for me…I love you Keitaro body and soul I love you. Forever and a day." She lurched forward and wrapped her arms around his body holding him tight. "You have to tell me that there is something for me to hope for. Love me and not her…I'm ready now ready to give you everything I have to offer all that I am." Her mighty strength used to punish him before was now being used to hold him in place.

"You loved me before her but I wasn't ready yet. I needed time to understand. Understand what you meant to me and what I hoped we could be." She licked her lips as she inched closer to his face, "I'm ready now. I'll overlook Mutsumi and your little fling. You can't tell me you have no feelings for me anymore…PLEASE Keitaro tell me." Naru begged as she pressed her body against Keitaro's pinning him to the couch. Inches away from his face she gazed into his eyes for any signs of her words affecting him. She saw them, a small weakening. Her tone softened to a whisper, "Please Keitaro make me yours?"

"Ara Ara I don't believe I will let this happen Na-chan," Mutsumi said happily as she grabbed the back of Naru's collar and pulled the amorous girl off her boyfriend. She looked happy but Mutsumi was angry beyond words. Not at Keitaro, she saw how prone and fearful of Naru he'd been. Her anger was reserved for her other best friend, the one that just said she'd take what she wanted and not care about the repercussions. Oh…Mutsumi was going to have to enlighten Naru of a great many things.

X-X

Not much to say. The Shinobu scene did feel a little cliché but I do like my fluff on occasion.

Later

Mercaba


	6. Chapter 6

Standard Disclaimer

Life's been kicking my ass as of late so sorry about the time delays.

X-X

Fracture

Chapter – 6

"Na-chan I think you and I need to have a little chat," Mutsumi cooed through closed eyes and a fake smile. Holding onto Naru's collar to keep the girl from falling back on her boyfriend, Mutsumi was just as shocked as Keitaro by Naru's actions. Having left Motoko in a very relaxed state in the onsen not five minutes ago she meant to ask Keitaro for some alone time only to see Naru pleading for him to make love to her. _I'm sorry Na-chan but you're too late. _

Always one to take an escape route when he saw one, Keitaro oozed out from under Naru to the floor. Once he'd escaped her clutches, easy enough as the woman was paralyzed due to Mutsumi's interruption, Keitaro got to his feet. "I'll let you girls talk…I uh have some work to do before I turn in for the night." A big lie but he didn't even think the girls heard him. "Get me when you're done?" he asked Mutsumi.

Breaking eye contact with her treacherous friend for a fraction of a second, Mutsumi beamed Keitaro with a smile. "Of course I will Kei-chan. Oh and if you would be so kind as to talk to Motoko-chan that would be great." The moment the last syllable left her lips Mutsumi turned back to the cowering Naru. "Did you want to talk in your room or outside? Our talk wouldn't be fitting for the other girls to hear," leaning in close to Naru and hoping her boyfriend had fled already, "our talk is just for us."

Naru's world was spinning on foreign axis's and left her beyond confused. She'd had every intension of submitting to Keitaro finally. Let her dreams, long since hidden in her mind, come to fruition. They were supposed to be walking to her room hand in hand and behind closed doors he would take her slowly and caringly. Mutsumi would be a story for their daughter to hear when she got older. "Mutsumi-chan…I…can we…not?"

The smile still plastered on her face with all its cheap fakeness, Mutsumi shook her head. "Na-chan, outside or your room?" It was time to lay the cards on the table and if Naru didn't plan to ante up after the not so subtle attempt to seduce Keitaro, Mutsumi was going to force it. Did the Okinawan plan to keep Keitaro all for herself? No, Mutsumi knew her beloved well enough to know he'd never abandon any of these girls despite how much he should. In her heart, Mutsumi knew Keitaro loved them all dearly and she wouldn't get in the way of that. He could be friends with anybody he wanted and she'd welcome it.

What she would do though is make sure that the only one that felt that love physically was her. It was ok to be a little selfish and keep Keitaro from hurting himself by helping them ease the itch. Kitsune and Motoko were waking up to their physical wants for him and Naru, Mutsumi just saw, was a step ahead of them. Pulling on Naru's shirt harder as the brunette still didn't say anything, Mutsumi made the choice for her. "Such a lovely night outside tonight how about we take a walk around the building?"

A feeble attempt to break Mutsumi's grip failed, and Naru felt the long warm yet slender fingers wrap around her wrist. No escape now, even Keitaro fled the room. Good, she didn't want him to ever see her this weak. "Mu-chan about this…what you saw. Keitaro and…" What could she really say to try and rectify things when her intentions were so clear that even Suu could have known it? Nothing, that was the answer. She couldn't lie anymore.

Leading Naru's reluctant body towards the door, Mutsumi felt a creeping apprehension working down her resolve. "Let's save this until we get outside Naru, we'll talk outside." Standing by the door Mutsumi felt torn. Outside was the likely the death of one of her most cherished friendships and she really didn't want that. Why Naru couldn't have acted first, let her defenses down, and let Keitaro love her as he had wanted? It would have made Mutsumi so happy to have them together, together before she herself tasted his love and submitted to it. Now it was too late, she'd sooner cut her arm off than relinquish what she'd been given and Naru had handed it to her.

Nothing lasts forever, and even her love for Keitaro would end in this world with her death, so it was time to embrace the future. Her hand stalled on the door and she gave Naru one long look and let her grip become friendly for one last time. Smiling so lovingly at Naru that it brought a tear to her eye, Mutsumi was going to miss this feeling. "Na-chan I'm sorry," she whispered and opened the door and lead the befuddled girl outside into the cold night. It was time to talk.

X-X

His heart was pounding in his chest and his feet didn't feel like they were really touching the ground as he walked. Naru just begged him to make love to her for God's sake! How long had he prayed to hear those kind words from her lips, he dreamt of it for months. Life isn't without its sense of humor he thought. Now that he'd pledged himself to Mutsumi and planned to start his life anew did all these things start happening. "Wonder why she asked me to talk to Motoko." He rapt on the resident sword-maiden's door.

Hearing rustling and a crash followed by a small curse, Keitaro chuckled to himself. Guess even the most skilled people have a clumsy streak on occasion. "Motoko-chan, it's me." What he was doing there at Mutsumi's request he didn't know, but being away from those two women sounded very good at the time. _Mu-chan didn't look upset at me, but what did she think was happening between Naru and me?_

Opening her door, Motoko wasn't ready yet for what she'd been told to expect. Mutsumi had told her she was going to send Keitaro to talk to her, in a sense Mutsumi was giving Motoko a chance to come clean to this man. _To apologize to him for all the pain and suffering I've caused._ Her traditional Gi was replaced with a more formal kimono, pure white with a sakura petal of the purest pink at the bottom of the left leg with a matching colored obi around her waist. "Keitaro, please come in." She stepped back and gestured to the man to enter her room.

Taken back by the stunning vision that the woman before him that had never looked quite this feminine before, Keitaro found he was unable to speak. A table was in disarray, a cup over turned and papers and books spilled everywhere. If he had to guess that would have been the epicenter of the crash he heard outside. "Motoko-chan, I don't know why I'm here really but…"

On her knees, Motoko closed the door to her room, stood, and sat before Keitaro as a traditional Japanese wife would. "You are here because Otohime-sempai sent you to me in an act of selflessness. In that respect you and she are truly alike." It pained her to realize it now just how kind Keitaro was. So few people in the modern age did things for others out of the kindness of their hearts, Keitaro and Mutsumi shined in that respect. "Before we start, would you like anything to drink?" she gestured to the disheveled cups.

Shaking his head slowly, Keitaro was still baffled at the change in Motoko. The passionate yet volatile energy was replaced by feminine grace and charm; she was almost a totally different person. "I'm fine Motoko-chan, now what is this all about?" With Kitsune's bearing her soul to him, Shinobu's crush, and Naru's little attempt to get with him, Keitaro was hoping Motoko wasn't going to continue the theme.

Sliding back a good foot, Motoko bowed deeply to Keitaro, bowed so deeply her head touched the ground. "Urashima-san, I Aoyama Motoko wish to plead my deepest apology to you for all I have done against you." Her eyes were clenched tightly shut as she felt her shame creeping in. Now that she started, the floodgates were opened. "I have shamed you and hurt you grievously due to my own shortcomings and prejudice." Deeper the knife in her chest pushed, "Were you a lesser man you could have had me arrested or removed me from this place many times, yet you did not and I continued to hurt. I am undeserving of forgiveness but please at least accept my apology."

Drinking in her words, full of such sorrow and regret, Keitaro for a full minute said nothing. Yet Motoko's head didn't rise from the ground, humble at his feet. Finally he snapped from his dreamlike haze. Putting a hand on her head, he didn't miss the flinch that Motoko made at that contact. "Motoko-chan you have my full forgiveness. You did what you did for good reasons." He rubbed her hair caringly as one would a little sister. It was deliciously silky. "I would have liked for you to have listened to me some times, but I don't fault your for trying to keep Shinobu and Suu safe."

Heart swelling in her chest, Motoko forced herself back into a seated position to look this man in the eye. She had to see if he was lying to her, telling her what she wanted to hear, because it sounded too much like fantasy to be reality. All the pain and hurt she'd administered in the guise of punishment was forgiven this quickly? "Kei…taro? Do you really hold no ill will against me?"

Rubbing his nose with his index finger, Keitaro smiled lightly. "At the times you hit me I was upset yes, and yes I was angry when you wouldn't let me explain but I didn't hold a grudge against you for it. You meant well, still do. And the fact that you just apologized for it means you truly are sorry." Keitaro was human and yes he did get upset at the constant stream of accusations and pain, but he was kind enough to look past it at 'why' they did it. "I truly forgive you Motoko-chan."

Leaping at the man with a feline speed, Motoko had her arms wrapped around his body and her head to his chest in mere seconds. "Kei-chan…thank you. I've dishonored myself so greatly due to my behavior…my self imposed lies." How warm his chest was, she thought. Yes it was time to bear everything to him and stop the lies. How often did she hit him out of her frustrations and confusion in her feelings? She loved him, Motoko knew that now, and had loved him for a long time. Only she didn't know it, or how to deal with it.

Rubbing her head again, Keitaro let the samurai get herself together. While he didn't practice much of the Urashima family's martial arts, he wasn't daft in knowing that some warrior families pride honor over everything. The Aoyama's were one such family he believed. "You redeemed that honor right now Motoko-chan. Only those that can seek forgiveness are worthy of it, and because you did I see no blemish on your honor." Putting his hands on her shoulders, Keitaro was going to push her away as the girl was a little to friendly right now.

Letting herself be weak as Mutsumi had said to her not an hour ago, Motoko was slowly gyrating back and forth against this man in her arms. It felt good, better than that cursed rock, his knee wasn't perfectly placed but it was good enough. "Keitaro, I…um…" Her books truly didn't have the real oomph of a physical touch in them. Her body was burning, it was time for the other matter of discussion. "Kei…"

Ushering the highest degree of restraint he could muster, Keitaro gently pushed the woman off him and back to a seated state. Yes it could have been just the need for an outlet for her recovered honor, but Keitaro could have sworn it was more than that. "Motoko-chan I'm glad you're happy. If you ever need me for anything else don't think twice about it o….k."

Her hands, fumbling with nervous energy, reached for the obi and started to pull it free. Was she ready for this, no but it wouldn't stop her. She might never get the chance again and she knew it wouldn't make Keitaro leave Mutsumi for her, but she wanted to taste what could have been if only once. "Keitaro, you have done so much for me that I can never repay you even if I were to live countless ages. I have nothing I can offer you to repay you except myself." The obi dropped and the kimono slid open and exposed her alabaster skin to the dim yellow light of her overhead light, dark brown nipples stood hard under the cold autumn air from her window. "I give myself freely to you now and whenever you wish." But he wasn't a man of lusts, Motoko knew that, "I do this not only to reclaim my honor but out of love. For I do love you."

It was another one, how had these perfect women, this girls that he came to care for like family turned to love him? He wasn't worthy of Mutsumi alone and yet here he had come to learn these others cared as well? Taking the sides of the kimono in his hands he saw the pure unabashed willingness if not eagerness in Motoko's eyes and pulled the kimono shut. "I love you to Motoko-chan and that is why I won't hurt you by doing this." Only pain could come if they let passion rule. "You should only do this with the one you truly wish to be with, not out of honor or…"

Motoko pushed forward and kissed Keitaro on the lips to silence him. Her forward momentum and his shock allowed her to push him to the ground where his hands fell away and her kimono opened again. "Foolish Keitaro, didn't I just say this wasn't only for my honor." Her hair spilled around his face and blocked out the light, he could only see her face and her smile. "You are the only person I know…the only man I would wish to see me as thus."

As faithful to Mutsumi as he was, Keitaro couldn't help but get aroused at the willingness and beauty Motoko had. But she wasn't herself right now, she was lovesick and it was making her act in a way that wasn't really her. Pulling her into a hug, her naked chest against him, Keitaro whispered softly to her, "You say that now, and you believe it now, but I won't let you hurt yourself tomorrow of it." He needed her off of him, needed her clothed because the longer this went the more his resolve wavered. "Think about it, think if you really want me to take from you what can only be taken once and…"

"YES!" She yelled at him. "I want you to take me Keitaro, I do. Do you not think I have thought about his more than once? I have agonized over these accursed feelings for you…" her voice lost its intensity with every passing word. Realization that he'd never do it though was sinking in, never while he was with Mutsumi. He was to faithful, to kind, and exactly what she wanted. Tears started to work into her eyes. "I know I cannot take Otohime-san's place, but I wanted to know what it felt like just once to lay with the man I know I love."

Rolling over, putting himself on top of Motoko, Keitaro saw the vulnerable woman for the first time as a pure woman. Sure they joked about her being a girl before, especially Kitsune and her dresses, but this was different. The warrior was gone right now, replaced by the human that was beneath. So gorgeous that for a brief moment Keitaro doubted, but only a moment. "I'm sorry Motoko, I love you too but not that way." Closing her kimono for the last time, Keitaro pushed himself to his feet.

Stilted and hurt, Motoko wouldn't try again to make love to him, not today anyway. Getting to her feet she walked to him with head held low. "If you will not take me…will you just once…kiss me as you kiss her?" It wasn't what she wanted but she had to have something! Something to keep in her cherished memories to warm her heart as she weld her sword. Weakness wasn't a bad thing, but right now she felt so horrible defenseless. _With him I could have been this way more often, in private with him I could be this weak. I will miss it._

Just a kiss…only a kiss right? Keitaro didn't think it was fair to Mutsumi but in his own heart he couldn't deny Motoko this request. He kissed her as she requested, kissed her as he did his most cherished on. And when they disengaged, a thin silvery line of spittle linking them a moment longer, they smiled at each other and Keitaro walked out without another word. Shutting her door, Motoko didn't notice Kanako moving away from her window where the shinobi had watched and listened to it all. Motoko had been released from Kanako's punishment due to her apology and the clear sign that she had punished herself enough.

Motoko didn't sleep well that night, plagued with dreams where she got everything she wanted. Horrible nightmares of the thing she wanted most but could never had.

X-X

At first Mutsumi and Naru just walked silently around the front of the building. The cool air was refreshing and not yet biting. Long blasts of wind ruffled the girls' hair and sent Mutsumi's shirt billowing outward but she didn't move to sooth it. She had always dreamed of Kei-kun and Na-chan together, wanted all her most cherished people to be happy and together forever. It was a child's dream and an impossible one to achieve. For one of them to be happy the other had to go without, and after last night Mutsumi was not going to be that later. "Na-chan I think you know what I want to talk about."

How could she not know what this woman wanted to talk about, hadn't Mutsumi pulled her off of Keitaro? Did she feel bad about trying to take Keitaro from Mutsumi, for the most part she didn't, he was hers first. "I think I do Mutsumi, you want to talk about what you just saw and why I did it right?" Her voice was firm and resolved, seeing him now as he saw her for so long, Naru was going to fight. "And you're right we do need to speak."

"Then I'll move right to the heart of things then," Mutsumi's tone was fragile and soft. Coming to a stop by a large tree, the Okinawan leaned against it and hoped some of its strength would go into her. She knew it would be impossible to salvage a friendship with Naru if she stayed with Keitaro. "I gave you all the time in the world Naru…I gave you so much time to be with him."

Naru continued walking a short distance away from Mutsumi, eyes focused on the light in Keitaro's room that just switched on. "Then why are you trying to take him from me now? Why did you sleep with him if you wanted me to have him like you claim?" Mutsumi had stabbed her right in the back and had the gall to say she 'given her time.'

From how Naru was standing, where she was looking, and her confrontational attitude, Mutsumi sighed heavily. Friends are to be cherished, best friends held forever, so how could she choose between them? Easy, one friend had hurt the other over and over again. "I didn't take him from you Naru. You pushed him away, spurned his love, and in the end hurt him to the point he made his plan to leave." Following Naru's gaze, Mutsumi saw the shadow of her man moving around and let out a sigh. _At least that is one less thing I'll ever need worry about._

What Keitaro and Motoko would never know was that Mutsumi fully expected the interplay that the ronin and the sword-maiden had. Only Mutsumi expected her boyfriend to have fulfilled Motoko's wish. For Motoko, Mutsumi would have forgiven the pair. Was it because she could tell Motoko truly loved Keitaro? No. Was it because Motoko was a warrior that just blossomed into love? No. It was far simpler than that. Mutsumi felt horrible about what she had done to Motoko in the onsen days ago. Yes she was angry at the woman for hurting Keitaro, but hate begets hate. In her mind Mutsumi was disappointed in herself since she'd abused Motoko. Because of that guilt Mutsumi sent her boyfriend to Motoko to talk. Sure she said she'd not share the man, but that one time she'd have forgiven them both.

Try as she might, Naru couldn't come up with a response to Mutsumi's comment. It was true she had hurt Keitaro a lot, but that was only because she wasn't ready yet. She had to much doubt and confusion to trust anybody, but now she was ready. He had loved her, and now in turn she loved him. "But I don't want him to be with anybody else Mutsumi. I wasn't ready until I was threatened with his leaving. He was mine first and you took him."

The double meaning didn't go over Mutsumi's head and snapped her out of her peaceful musings. "Naru, he chose to make love to me as well so don't believe I tricked him or manipulated him to do it." And with how her emotions were getting frazzled, Mutsumi was hoping for a nice prolonged lovemaking session once they got home. "He was hurt and I was there for him like you never were. I had wanted you to be with him for so long but couldn't take the fear of him leaving forever."

"You want me to believe that don't you?" Naru turned to face Mutsumi finally. Her eyebrows were a thin line and her jaw set firm. Arms crossed against the flat of her stomach, Naru could feel her anger growing. "Just think that it was all nice and easy to ease your conscious. But let's say what it really is. You took him to you place with the plain intent to have sex with him. Get him under you finger and keep me from trying to make amends with him. Well I'm sorry I won't let you."

With such a harsh accusation, ridiculing her to nothing but a no good whore that just used her body to get what she wanted, the slow building engine that was Mutsumi's anger grew too. "Won't let me what Naru, love him like he deserves? Not hit him for his clumsiness? Are you the only one that gets that right now that you've all but thrown him to the wolves?" Stepping away from the tree, Mutsumi got within arms reach of her 'friend.'

"I won't let you keep him Mutsumi. He chose to be with you because he was exactly as you said he was. He was hurt and weak and you extorted him with it." Unconsciously Naru ground her foot into the dirt. It made so much sense now that she thought about it. If Keitaro truly was as emotional as Mutsumi said anybody could have swooped in for the steal, hell even Shinobu could have. "You're lying to yourself saying it was mutual or that he chose it. You can't have it both ways him being hurt and him making the choice with a clear conscious."

That idea had crossed Mutsumi's mind more than once and it showed on her face. Taking a step back, the tiniest of frowns crested her face. "I did think that too Naru, I did." The cold suddenly wasn't as soothing as it had been moments before. "He is more delicate emotionally than he is physically. But I stand by my decision and have faith that it was the right thing."

"Not so sure of yourself now though are you," Naru smirked as she found an in. Maybe she could get Mutsumi to let go of him after all and the whole thing could be forgotten. "Can't lie to yourself anymore about it can you. Calling what you did love…you're no better than me."

Mutsumi's hand cracked hard against Naru's face sending golden brown hair flying in every direction. "No Naru I'm not like you." Her face burnt with heat and lovely brown eyes glistened with unshed moisture. "Because what I do, I do for him and not myself. You only see yourself. Keitaro only came to your heart after you lost him, not because you put him ahead of you." Holding her sore hand with her other, Mutsumi rubbed the aching knuckles. "Even now you're trying to make ME look like the bad one to justify your actions. You say I slept with him to steal him from you, you say I abused him mentally, and now you're trying to hurt me into giving up on Kei-chan." Tears started falling heavily, "Na-chan I love you and Kei-kun so much but I can't take how you treat him and me anymore."

Her right hand held her pulsating cheek as she ground her teeth together. "Fuck you Mutsumi…you're just thinking of yourself too." Turning away from Mutsumi, Naru felt a pain in her chest as she started walking away from the sobbing woman. In her heart Mutsumi was being demonized and twisted into a vile and thieving seductress. Mutsumi had stole Keitaro from her using feminine wiles and now was trying to make her feel like the bad one by crying. Who just got hit, who had to lose the love of their life, it sure as hell wasn't Mutsumi. _Let her cry herself horse. _

That was how Keitaro found his loving girlfriend, sobbing to herself over the death of one of her best friendships. Naru's self-centeredness couldn't have been circumvented and it cost the two of them what they spent most of their lives trying to create. Holding her hand, Keitaro walked her home in silence. Once they were inside the tiny one bedroom apartment, Mutsumi asked him how things went with Motoko and being the man he was Keitaro confessed to kissing the raven haired warrior.

Keitaro expected Mutsumi to mad at him, smack him, or even kick him out for the small bout of infidelity that happened so quickly into their relationship. But all she did was giggle and said 'one day I'll have to let you in on a secrete' but didn't hint at what it was. Then she kissed him on the cheek, then the other cheek, and finally the lips. When the parted Mutsumi lead him to his new bedroom where she got what she wanted. They made love on her futon, no pain this time, and Mutsumi and Keitaro let the pains of the past few days melt away in a sea of small kisses and gentle touches.

X-X

Waking up the next morning, his arms wrapped securely around the naked body of his girlfriend, Keitaro breathed in deeply the scent of her hair. It would be a blessing to wake up everyday like this. He didn't know if she was awake or not, it was still a few hours before she had to get up and ready for school, but that didn't matter. So much had happened in such a short time. His plan to leave his position as manager, his partnership with Mutsumi, learning about the affection the other girls had for him. It was all so much to take in at one time.

But he wouldn't have to deal with it alone now, no he'd not have any issues with solitude now. His fingers trailed across the Okinawan's forearm eliciting a few sleep giggles from her. For the longest time he sought for love and affection, mostly from Naru. Dreams and illusions of his promise girl and Tokyo University blended together into such an unattainable dream. Had he been wrong in his life's pursuit till now?

No, his path had led him here. This bed, this woman, and this life and to him it was all good. Suffering was a part of life, everybody's life. He had caused some to the girls with his selfish want to be away from the hurt and pain they gave. Was the dorm out of his life forever? Not on his life. He'd visit as much as his schedule would allow to visit his friends and family, but weren't they one in the same now?

Seeing Naru would be hard, old feelings die hard especially if they flared up right at the end. But from what he could gather from Mutsumi after they had finished copulating, it would be in his best interests to let Naru calm down before trying those waters again. Today was nothing, tomorrow was time to get his new schedule for school and start looking for a new job. He couldn't let Mutsumi pay for everything, he'd not leech off her like that.

Pulling her closer to him, her warm back was very inviting in the cool morning. Life was changing for him, for her, and for everybody he knew. What did the future hold for him now that he'd given up that childhood dream of a perfect girl? He didn't know, but as long as Mutsumi was there with him he'd do his best to find out.

Stirring in his arms, Mutsumi rolled over and her eyes fluttered open and her dopy smile caught Keitaro of guard. He loved that smile, that face, the whole woman inside and out. "Morning beautiful," Mutsumi cooed sleepily.

"I thought the guy was supposed to say that?" Keitaro said with a matching smile.

"Ara ara but it fits you so well…being so feminine and all," she tilted her head deeper into her pillow as her eyes shut halfway. Her hands in turn wrapped around the man in her bed. A dream turned reality for her. All her life she had secretly dreamed of being with him, but thought it impossible as she'd given him to Naru. Well Naru gave him back and now it was 'no-give-backs.'

Content to let her drape her arms around his neck, "Want some breakfast?" He'd cook for her till he got a job to start help paying, he could do that much.

"No," she said softly and pulled him closer to her, body pressed to body as she gave him a full body hug. It wasn't a dream, he was really there with her. He was with her with all his faults and blessings and they'd face the future together. The other girls would always be apart of his life, no matter where they went or what they became. Mutsumi would have it no other way, the only regret was Naru. Maybe in time they could remedy things but with the wounds so fresh it wasn't likely to take place during their time in university. "Let's just lay here awhile longer ok?"

He nodded contently and drifted off to sleep again. Things weren't going to be perfect, nothing was. They would fight, have problems, but they would see them through together. Love isn't easy, it's not a game, or a prize. It was hard fought for, to defend, and in the end keep. But on the futon where they both slept the seeds of their romance were cemented and never would it crumble. They'd see everything through till the end, forever and a day.

The End

X-X

Yup that's the end folks. I could have drug things out more but I don't think the story warranted countless chapters of redundant drama. I got what I wanted to in these chapters and yes their will be an epilogue with a lil lemony goodness and to put some finishing touches on the threads.

I hope you enjoyed my first Love Hina story. I hope you continue to support my dumb little flights of fancy. And if you have an idea about something you'd like me to try…I'm always game for ideas and suggestions

Again to all of you, thank you and God bless

Zentrodie


	7. Chapter 7

Standard Disclaimer

Well I promised you an epilogue to tie things up into a tiny little package and here it is. After this its back to my Dears story and then I'll think of something else to write about. Lots of ideas.

So sit back and enjoy the aftermath of Fracture.

X-X

Fracture

Epilogue

Looking up the stairs that lead to the old inn, Keitaro felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. While he did keep up on the visits at first they tapered off as the residents lives all evolved and moved on. At first he visited twice a week, then after a few months it became a weekly event, after more time had passed he came one or twice a month, and finally for the last six months he hadn't shown up once. Mutsumi would occasionally go with him or on her own but the girls didn't quite enjoy the Okinawan's visits as much as Keitaro's.

Holding his now-wife's hand, Keitaro didn't look at her, "You ready for this?" The wedding had been at her parent's house in Okinawa not more than a week ago. "I could go and tell them myself first and let them get things out of their system before you go up." He didn't think the girls would take it too badly, but Keitaro had come to terms that they did love him. Suu had been the hardest for him to accept.

But three weeks after his initial move out the Mol-Mol princess broke into their apartment and put a mind control collar on him. Before she activated it she declared 'Now brother will love me and only me! You'll get me all the banana's I want and always play with me!' Luckily for Keitaro the device malfunctioned and simply exploded. After making the upset princess clean up the mess Keitaro hugged her and reminded her that all the things she wanted he could still do. When Suu asked if that went into the realm of the flesh Mutsumi had to step in as Keitaro's brain stopped functioning.

Back at the daunting stair case, Mutsumi's smile was radiant. She could still feel the warm ring of metal around her finger and it reminded her daily that life wasn't a dream. "No Kei-chan I want to be there with you." She hugged his arm closely. "It was a long road to get here for us and I won't let you walk it alone anymore."

Taking a deep breath, Keitaro started up the stairs. "I wonder how much things have changed since our last visit." He didn't really ask Mutsumi and was just commenting. Unless Mutsumi was clairvoyant, which Keitaro didn't believe, she couldn't know that answer. "I feel so jittery and I don't know why."

Feeling his stride tapering off, Mutsumi increased hers and in effect started dragging Keitaro with her. "You're worried is all silly. Don't be. Nothing has changed except my last name," she nuzzled his neck with her nose. Partially to calm her nerves and she knew his neck was one of his pressure points. "We've been through worse than a family visit Kei-chan."

She was right of course, their relationship had all the quirks and problems that had often sunk others. Being the beautiful and charming woman she was, Mutsumi had a bevy of attempted suitors in college. Once she had started dating Keitaro she opened up even more, almost glowing with positive energy and it affected others. Rich men, strong men, charismatic men, and forceful men all tried to woo the woman away from her man. And while Mutsumi's affection never wavered one accident on her end almost broke the pair apart.

It was during a long study session with one of her groups for speech communication. The meeting had started with the full group of five, three men and two women, but as time moved on the other woman left and the men shared a knowing look. Ordering rounds of beers at the tavern they had taken to studying at the foursome enjoyed more than a few. Ohiko knew how deeply Mutsumi cared for her boyfriend, but he couldn't see why and his buddies were determined to help him. Once they had a great deal the friends left and Ohiko made his move.

Maybe it was because he looked a lot like Keitaro, Mutsumi brought him back to the apartment. That was wear Keitaro found them making out on the couch. Walking in after a long day of helping Seta to find Mutsumi with one of her study buddies, Keitaro just walked back out to shocked to say anything. But luckily that shock broke Mutsumi's befuddlement and she sent Ohiko out the door with the worse case of blue-balls he'd ever suffer in his life. When she found Keitaro afterward, in the beef bowl place where she confessed to him, she found the man already well into his fifth drink.

Despite how many times she told him she loved him, Keitaro had insecurities about Mutsumi. At the time he didn't think he deserved her feelings, and that what he saw was the end. It took Mutsumi over a month to recover the damage she'd done, and from that point she made sure to limit her intake when Keitaro wasn't around.

Keitaro's bouts of near infidelity were just more of the same happenstance that always cursed his life. Walking into the wrong room while women were changing, slipping and falling onto the most inappropriate body parts, and of course worming his way into the hearts and occasional lusts of the female populace where he spent time with. The college now had a small clan of women that eyed Mutsumi with contempt. But through it all, Mutsumi rather enjoyed, Keitaro never noticed and she had no intention of pointing it out.

Recalling all the problems they had, the few fights they had, and the time spent making up, Keitaro had faith in the woman on his arm. "We did have one hell of a time getting here didn't we?" Turning to her, Keitaro kissed her lips chastely, "And I love you more than I did back when we started."

Blushing softly, Keitaro rarely took the initiative or said his feelings so bluntly, Mutsumi giggled. "We're at the top silly, time to let them know about Mr. and Mrs. Urashima." Maybe nobody would be home and Mutsumi could make good on one promise she made to herself. _I did always want Kei-chan to take me in his old room, and today I would really like it. _Mutsumi had taken her role as Keitaro's lover very seriously and enjoyed each coupling more than the last. With a mental titter _I wonder if that makes me a pervrt?_

X-X

"I should just open it and then be depressed the rest of the day," Kitsune said as she held a small brown envelope in her hand. "I mean it can't be good news or they'd have called right…it has to be bad." But she worked so hard, and tried so many before this one. "Maybe it was a bad idea after all…should go back to freelancing," but she didn't want that work anymore. Summing up her courage Kitsune ripped the letter open and read its contents. A fire worked from her stomach, up to her lungs, and out of her mouth as she re-read the letter. "FUCK YEAH!!!!"

Throwing her door open, Kitsune ran down the stairs to find somebody, anybody to tell her great news too. Shinobu should have been either studying or cooking and would make a great hugging post. "Shinobu-CHAN!" Kitsune called out knowing it irritated the girl now to be called chan. _No matter how big her breasts get she's still little Shinobu-chan to me._ But once she descended the stairs she saw a pair standing in the doorway and came to a halt, more importantly she saw him. "Kei…taro?"

"Hi Mitsune, how ya been?" Keitaro said a little uneasily. The moment they opened the door they heard Kitsune's scream and for a second they thought maybe they should leave. "Good news?" he pointed to the letter and the jovial expression on her face.

Tell him first or? Fuck it, if Mutsumi gets upset she wouldn't care. Rushing up to the man that had brought about the change in her, Kitsune wrapped the stunned man in a fierce hug and planted a sloppy kiss right on his lips. _Guess that answers the other question I had, _she thought. Had Mutsumi not coughed gingerly Kitsune would have continued kissing the prone man. "They're going to publish it! Kokukawa publishing firm has bought my book and they're going to publish it!"

Mutsumi looked at Kitsune and Keitaro and felt left out. Something had passed between her husband and this woman that she didn't know and she did feel a tiny prick of anger. "Kei-chan what is she talking about? Kitsune-san I didn't know you were writing a book." Nobody did, all the residents thought was Kitsune was still the same Kitsune.

Rubbing the back of his head, "I promised I wouldn't talk about the subject matter or the fact she was writing a book Mu-chan." He turned back to Kitsune with a genuine smile, "And I'm so proud of you Mitsune. It takes a lot of courage to do what you're doing." The conniving fox had really changed since he'd left. "If she's comfortable telling you Mu-chan, why not ask her yourself?"

Those old feelings of love rekindled the moment she heard the fact that all this time Keitaro never spilled the beans about her past. Pre-empting Mutsumi, Kitsune just came clean. "I wrote about a girl that was sexually abused by an apartment manager in her past and how it affected her life." Not seeing the connection on Mutsumi's face, Kitsune's smile lost some of its luster, "its basically an autobiography of my life before coming here."

Her anger died instantly as she put two and two together. Drawing Kitsune into a hug, Mutsumi cooed, "I'm so happy for you Kitsune-san." While hugging the fox, Mutsumi eyed Keitaro and mentally checked off another reason she was going to make tonight special. _He would have kept that a secret to his dieing breath wouldn't he. _Plus on learning Keitaro's and Kitsune's secret it also alleviated one of Mutsumi's internal questions. She had asked why Keitaro used the name 'Mitsune' and not 'Kitsune' but he would never tell, well now she knew.

Breaking out of the hug, feeling more than a trifle nervous, Kitsune looked at the pair. "I'm going to put you on the front page Keitaro, I'm dedicating it to you." Rubbing her arms, suddenly very cold, "If it wasn't for you I'd never have come to terms with it, never have taken the steps to recover." Feeling his eyes on her without looking at him, Kitsune felt even more embarrassed. "So what brings you two here?"

"SEMPAI!" Shinobu's call interrupted the pairs first attempt to confess their marriage. Running up to the man, Shinobu wrapped him up in a fierce hug, "You big meany, you promised to visit and you haven't been here in months!"

Confused at the strange girl hugging him, Keitaro pointed at the mop of hair attached to his chest. "I'm sorry miss but do I know you?" She sounded like little Shinobu but couldn't have been. The last time he saw Shinobu she was up to his shoulders and flat as a pancake. The girl hugging him was his height and only a few cup sizes lower than his wife.

Knowing exactly who it was, Mutsumi gently pulled Shinobu away from her husband. "Now Kei-chan aren't you being stupid today," she giggled as she bent over a little to look at the puffy eyes of Shinobu, "Ara Ara hasn't little Shinobu-chan grown into a lovely young woman."

"She hit one hell of a grown spurt in the last few months," Kitsune laughed along with Mutsumi as Keitaro continued to balk. "Bet her little boyfriend is happy with the changes too…that is if Motoko hasn't tried staking a claim in him." It was always fun to tease Shinobu about her boyfriend and how Motoko took more than a shine to him as well. Another round of two girls after the same guy, love triangle round two at Hinata Sou.

Thrusting her arms down and glaring at Kitsune, "Shin-chan doesn't like Motoko! He's just being trained by her is all!" How many times did she have to hear from Kitsune that Motoko might not just be training him with the sword. "So stop staying that!"

Her laughter increased at Shinobu's little tirade, "But you've seen how Motoko and Shinji are together Shinobu-chan. Better keep an eye on her." Teasing had always been a fun thing for Kitsune, and today would be no exception. It was a day to party! Keitaro was visiting and her book was going to be published. Truly a good enough reason to break out the special stuff.

On hearing that his quasi-little sister was dating somebody, Keitaro's paralysis was finally snapped. "Wait you're dating somebody? Tell me about him Shinobu-chan," he put his hands on the girl's shoulders and as usual missed the rosy blush it elicited. _Anybody that hurts Shinobu-chan will have to answer to me…this boy better be worthy of her._

While she'd moved past her young love for Keitaro, Shinobu hadn't been able to resist the warmth spreading through her. "Keitaro-sempai can you…let go of me? Breakfast is almost done so…we can eat and I'll tell you about him if you want to know." It wasn't cheating, but Shinobu felt upset at how nice it was to be in Keitaro's arms, especially now that she'd blossomed into a woman. Now that she knew what a real relationship was, now that she knew what sex was, Shinobu was a little ashamed of her young crush.

Wrapping her arm around Keitaro's, Mutsumi lead him to the dining room. "Ara Ara Kei-chan are you jealous of Shinobu's boyfriend?" No edge was present in her voice, Mutsumi knew better but she had to keep Keitaro on focus. If he pressed to hard, Shinobu might just break things off with her boyfriend to appease him.

"No I'm just," sighing as he sat down, he shook his head. "Just concerned I guess." Looking towards the kitchen where Kitsune and Shinobu were filling plates with food, "Never thought about her growing older, dating, or falling in love. Thought she'd stay that innocent little girl forever." Time changed things, and few things didn't change over time. "I hope that boy realizes what he's getting into."

Hand to palm, "Shinobu-chan has an entire house of guardians watching over her. If the boy does anything I'm sure he won't life long enough to regret it." Her smile never left her face as she mentioned the death of any boy that dared hurt Shinobu. Seeing Keitaro pale, "Ara did I say something odd?"

"Sorry for the small portions but we weren't expecting company. I'll make something bigger for lunch," Shinobu interrupted. Setting plates down in front of the yet unknown newlyweds. "Motoko-san, Kanako, and Narusagawa are gone right now so it's just us. So where should I start?"

In unison the Urushima's replied, "The beginning." And the assembled let out a group laugh. Shinobu's story, to their amazement, started before the visits stopped. Due to a ruptured gas line at her old school, Shinobu had to start going to a school in Tokyo, that much they knew. What the didn't know was that Shinobu had started talking to a timid boy their named Shinji Ikari.

To call their first few months of interaction passion filled would have been a laugh. The two just talked and got used to each other. Shinobu bashfully confessed her first date with him had came from her missing the train back to Hinata after cleaning the classroom. They went to eat and watched movies at his apartment with his guardian. Next week she missed the train again, but on purpose. After a three such accidents, he asked her out officially. She never looked back.

"Such a lovely story," Mutsumi cooed through closed eyes and an empty plate, "Does he make a good lover?" she asked as if she was asking if he had brown hair.

Spitting her tea all over the table, Shinobu stammered. "Mutsumi-san how…how…" how could she ask such a blunt question! Her face felt warm, but her whole body was glowing read. "Shin-chan and I um…" looking at Keitaro, Shinobu was ashamed to confess exactly how far she went with her boyfriend.

Catching on, Mutsumi shoved Keitaro away from the table, "Kei-chan how about going and talking to your aunt for awhile?" Mutsumi wanted to insure Shinobu wasn't getting in over her head, and by the rapt attention Kitsune was paying to the conversation it was proof that Shinobu's activities were still at large unknown.

Putting his hands up in defeat, Keitaro stood up, "I'll see how the old tea house is doing. Maybe Kanako is down there." Eyeing up Shinobu firmly, "Glad to hear you're with somebody and happy Shinobu-chan." He'd fight to the death for that girl's happiness, but judging from the body language it wasn't needed. Walking out the door and back down to the tea house, Keitaro was met with an amorous hug from Kanako and a slap from Haruka's fan when he slipped and called her aunt.

Waiting until she heard the door close, Mutsumi turned back to the squeamish Shinobu. "Now Shinobu-chan, we're not asking you this to upset your or embarrass you at all. We're just want to make sure you're being careful." Scooping up Shinobu's prone hand in hers, Mutsumi hoped the girl believed her.

Her face couldn't have been as red as the heat suggested to her, but Shinobu would have thought she was on fire. "I…we…" hearing encouraging sounds from both women, and Mutsumi gently rubbing her hand, a new feeling came to Shinobu. Connection. She was connecting to these women, they were accepting her as a woman and not a child. "I…touched his thing a few times…" she wasn't brave enough to actually say the word, thought they'd think her dirty.

"Is that all hun?" Kitsune asked knowing the man in question quite well. While before the boy was taken under Motoko's wing for training he had been to the inn only a handful of times, Kitsune was there for all of them. She liked the boy. Saw a lot of Keitaro in his actions and was a little surprised at the progress Shinobu was having. "And did you initiate this or did he?"

Again eying both women then looking down at her legs, the shame was ebbing away. "Well it was at my prompting, we were watching a romance movie and the want just hit me. He's never denied me anything before and he was reluctant, but he agreed to it." Peeking at the older women, Shinobu saw glee there not anger, but she did see they wanted more. "And he's um…touched me a few times."

Hearing such innocence in Shinobu made Mutsumi happy. She'd worried about how long it would have taken for the girl to recover, but sounded like she was doing just fine. _A little exploration is a fine thing, this boy is perfect for her and not pushing her. All in her own time. _But the need to know more was powerful! This was Shinobu talking about her entry into adulthood! "Where did he touch you Shinobu-chan, and remember we're not upset at all."

A heavy petting session after the third time she asked if he'd let her touch him, he asked the same. "Well…down there…" her body tingled pleasantly at the memory. "And before you ask it's been a few times."

Wrapping an arm around Shinobu's neck, Kitsune pulled the young woman into a hug. "My how times change. Here is our little Shinobu getting to third base with her boyfriend, never thought I'd live to hear the news." And no sex yet made Kitsune a lot happier, exploration was fine but that last step was a dozy. "Just wish Suu-chan could be here to hear it."

Curiosity peeked, Mutsumi released Shinobu's hand and placed it back to her cheek. "Ara that is right we haven't seen Suu-chan. Where is she?" The Mol-Mol princess had been a handful over the years but never a nuisance. The few break ins and forcing Keitaro to play with her, the red moon adult Suu attempting to seduce him once, and a couple of ill gotten machines were endearing.

Pulling away from the smiling Shinobu, Kitsune answered for them. "She went back to Mol-Mol to see if she can't get the inn turned into an embassy." Waving her head back and forth, the fox couldn't refute Suu's aims. "If she can get this place listed as Mol-Mol territory she said she'd ask her father to instate some old laws and by proxy Keitaro would be her husband and we'd be her wives." It was the fourth time she tried, and nobody thought she'd succeed.

They all let out a good laugh at the thought of being in a cluster marriage with Keitaro, but they had moved on. The trio settled into general conversation and catching up. They talked of school and jobs and all the comings and goings of life. When Kitsune asked about Naru, Mutsumi said she'd talk about it later. Shinobu headed to make lunch and by the time Keitaro came back from catching up with family the meal was about to be set.

X-X

The bag full of books was heavy, but it really didn't slow Motoko's ascent up the stairs. Tomorrow was going to be another sparing session with her first and best pupil and that always put her in a good mood. Sure he was two years her junior but that didn't really mean much did it? Grinning to herself, "Maybe another master/student bonding session will be needed." Underhanded yes, but if she learned anything of the events a year past was it didn't matter until the game was over how you played.

Opening the door, "Hey guys the study session ended early so I didn't eat in town. Any lunch left or do I have to wait for supper?" How she failed her first attempt to get into Tokyo University, Motoko would never know but she was determined to get in now. Cram school was the first place she went after not seeing her name on the board. Seeing a strange set of shoes at the door, "Do we have company?"

It was Shinobu's voice that sang from the kitchen, "Supper is going to be early today so you can just wait. And yes we do have company, they're in the living room with Kitsune." After some more girl chat with Mutsumi and the resident fox, Shinobu wasn't as worried about losing her boyfriend anymore so the edge was gone in her voice. The additional fact that her beloved sempai was going to stay the night made her day. _Glad Shin-chan isn't going to visit today, wouldn't do much good to have me fawning on Keitaro. But it's just for today._

Kicking her own shoes off, Motoko pulled out one of her study aids from her bag before setting it down too. "Alright, smells good," she replied after taking a whiff of the air. Great as usual, and from the aura in the inn everybody was in great spirits. What irritated the sword maiden was how she couldn't identify the guests immediately. Aura reading has been one of her exceptional traits, but these two guests were flooding her senses with positive energy and joy. Rounding the door into the living room, Motoko came to a crashing halt.

"Hey Motoko-chan, Kitsune told us about your problem with the entrance exam," Keitaro said with a silly grin on his face. "Guess you have more in common with me than you thought." The ex-ronin had to ripe his eyes away from Motoko's aged body as to not give the wrong idea. _Motoko-chan really has become the beauty her sister was…maybe more so._

Noticing her husband's reaction, Mutsumi's grin sharpened a little. She didn't mind the wandering eye on occasion, even she though Motoko was a fine specimen of feminine curves, she wouldn't allow a wondering hand. "Ara Ara I believe that is why she failed the exam on the first try."

Silence filled the room after Mutsumi's comment as the residents all thought about it. The more they thought the more it made sense, and finally Kitsune let out a loud whooping laugh. "I never would have thought that, but it sounds right. Mo-chan just had to have something to relate with her lost love." It was now common knowledge between the three women that feelings were shared around.

Walking to the couch with shut eyes, Motoko wasn't going to respond to that. All she did was sit next to the man…then hug him. "You big dope, weren't you going to visit us more often than this?" Oh how she had missed him. After learning she was capable of love, and that she loved Keitaro, it hurt to not see him even if he was with Mutsumi. As time moved on though the pain dulled, and now she had something to divert her attention.

Again noticing her husband's reaction, Mutsumi giggled as well. "Looks like Kei-chan is noticing you're not wearing those chest binds anymore…trying to entice your student Motoko-chan? I could teach you a few maneuvers if you like." A lie, but Mutsumi knew Motoko would never take her up on the offer. Mutsumi was done playing matchmaker, let Shinobu and Motoko fight each other fairly for the future they want, and let the best woman win.

Hearing the woman yelp and push away from him, Keitaro scratched his nose and tried to ignore the ghost senses on his arm. "So you're next test is coming up right Motoko-chan…ready for it?" Best to change the topic and fast, Keitaro knew Mutsumi better than anybody and from her voice just now he could tell she was getting a little defensive.

Fumbling with the ridges of her garb, Motoko nodded. "Yeah I think I'll pass this time. I've been studying really hard for it this time." If he could get in, Motoko was sure she could. Maybe they could even have some classes together if he had any general education left to take.

"Tell him about your novels Motoko," Kitsune snickered and enjoyed the frantic arm waving that followed as Keitaro turned to ask her what Kitsune meant. "Oh didn't you notice what is been on the top seller list for the last three months. Maybe you've heard of Sakura Miyazki?"

Shrugging Keitaro said, "All I know about her is that she writes romance novels. That her debut novel came out to rave success." He didn't need romance novels to get by, his wife was more than willing to provide romance. Honestly Mutsumi was the driving libido in the household while Keitaro rarely got the itch.

"You can be so dense sometimes Kei-chan," Mutsumi patted her husbands back. "How did somebody get a hold of your journal Motoko-chan?" Mutsumi knew the novel in question quite well. It was the one she read over a year ago before she induced her punishment on Motoko, with a few updates and modifications.

A profound grimace stretched across her face from ear to ear, Motoko pointed at Kitsune. "That foul temptress sent it off to a publisher claiming it was an accident." Whether it was or not, Motoko doubted. But what she couldn't doubt was the response it got. Wide success and a huge helping of fan letters from women just like her. The monetary value was going to put her through college.

"Supper is ready so come and get it!" Shinobu called out preventing Keitaro from asking any questions about the novel or if he could get a copy. Why Motoko wouldn't want him to read a book she wrote was confusing, but Motoko was adamant he not read it. More chatting and joking followed supper. The atmosphere was pleasant, marred only when Naru came home, saw the group and left to her room immediately. She'd eat alone after Mutsumi left, still not forgiving the woman, but making small progress to it.

Once the last of the food was shoved down, and the saki Kitsune passed around, Mutsumi stood up and gestured to the onsen. "Alright women…time for one last group bath…Kei-chan I think I saw Kanako lingering around in the living room…why not talk with her about how she can't fuck you ok?" Hiccupping as the alcohol worked deeper into her brain, "Oops…meant why she can't have a relationship with you."

X-X

Once all the clothing was shed, the four women hunkered down into the steaming onsen for what Mutsumi claimed was the last communal bath. "Ara Ara I missed how wonderful this bath felt." She hissed out as she sank deeply into the water. "What are you all looking at?"

The three women looked at each other and back to Mutsumi, Shinobu was the brave one. "Why are you calling this the last bath Mutsumi-san? Are you not going to visit us again?" While Mutsumi was always welcome, the girls were more worried about Keitaro not showing up again.

Sipping from the saki cup, Mutsumi sighed. "It depends on you four actually. Naru is included in this choice." Mutsumi looked at the changing room where she saw the flap close, no doubt Naru was listening. Holding her hand out, the moonlight reflected off her ring perfectly, "As you see I am no longer Mutsumi Otohime, I am Mutsumi Urushima."

A collected gasp filled the onsen at the news. Motoko scoffed and then laughed. "Tell us something we weren't expecting." They had wondered why it hadn't happened earlier, not that they minded the dwindling hope that the couple would split up.

Easing deeper into the water herself, Kitsune nodded with Motoko. "Yeah, we were waiting for this since day one. Sure I'd have loved if you broke it off with him so I could steal him…I never really expected it to happen." Gazing over at Shinobu, she saw the young women agreeing. Taking a long drought from her own saki cup, "It was all a matter of time."

With a broad grin, "I was worried you'd not want me here if you knew I was going to make love to Kei-chan. Thought you might be offended." It was expected wasn't it? They were married, they loved each other, and she loved making him feel good and vice versa.

"M-Make love to sempai?" Shinobu asked with all her mentality forcing that image to not appear in her mind. "Do you…do that a lot?" If Mutsumi had opened the can of worms, Shinobu was going to fish…and the other girls seemed just as interested.

"Ara Ara while I wish we would more I'd say we make love every other day," Mutsumi said easily. Her sexuality never bothered her before, why let it now. These girls were her family and her husbands, their was nothing to hide from them. "Kei-chan isn't nearly as much the pervert you made him out to be in the past."

Confused, Motoko squinted hard and set her half empty cup down. "Wait, you mean to tell us that he isn't the one making you…that its you asking him to…?" Wasn't the man supposed to be the pillar of the sexual activity in a couple? Women were more refined and less wanting right?

"Usually it's me asking him…Kei-chan never has refused me since we got together. On a rare day, usually after a stressful dig he'll come to me." And those times were lovely as she let him guide the whole affair. A wistful gleam came to her eye, "Kei-chan is very skilled." A few months of steady practice with a willing and capable student would do that.

Leaning forward, Kitsune was getting into the conversation. "So if its Kei-chan's skill on the docket of conversation. What is he best at?" This was forbidden knowledge! Things they never expected to learn with him being with Mutsumi, but here she was so candidly telling them about their sex life. "What does the little pervert like the best too?"

Holding her closed fist before her lips, Mutsumi giggled. "Actually that is one in the same." Casting her gaze to the night sky, "My darling rather enjoys oral pleasure…giving and not receiving if you understand me." Keitaro had become very skilled with his tongue and Mutsumi was more than happy to let him practice.

"So the spore isn't making you degrade yourself then huh?" Naru surprised the group by giving up on the subterfuge and joining them. With the option of trying to make amends or staying forever mad at the two, Naru chose the former. "Would have thought he'd be all about you sucking him off."

Meeting Naru's eyes with her own, "Funny you'd say that Na-chan." Mutsumi hoped this was the ending of the standing grudge between them. "He said the same thing. Silly man said he didn't want me degrading himself for him. Little does he know is that I'd gladly degrade myself for him whenever he wanted…he does for me." The pair loved and cherished each other, no degradation existed at all.

Amazed at the conversation around her, Shinobu was overwhelmed by it. This was an adult talk and they were including her. "So…what about you Mutsumi-san? What do you like sempai to-to do to you?" Just saying this was making Shinobu giddy with the sense that she was being naughty and bad.

Finishing her cup, "I just like having him inside me…anywhere at all." It was the connection that did it for Mutsumi. Having her most cherished person physically connected to her, feeling every twitch and movement of his body as they coupled. That was all she wanted, and she enjoyed every moment of it.

"I think that's a fine place to end this little talk," Naru said quickly. Having come to terms that she'd never have Keitaro for her own was one thing, hearing how Mutsumi liked having him plug every hole in her body was something else. "So…tell us about your wedding?"

With that the adult conversation ended, and more traditional topics were picked up. Questions about children, homes, jobs, and the future became the shifting topics. Through it all Naru and Mutsumi moved closer together, the healing had begun and with time they'd be friends again. Never as close as they once were, but closer.

X-X

She found her husband where she expected him after she got out of the bath, in his old room. "How did things go with Kanako?" she asked fluffing her hair. The sulfurous water made it sticky and she didn't want any tangles.

Already in his baggy sleeping pants, Keitaro was unfolding the futon as Mutsumi walked in. "She saw the ring and cried. I never thought she was that attached to me. But I reminded her that no matter what I'll always be her brother." Laying the blanket on top of the futon, Keitaro was still astonished that he had to have that type of conversation with his sister. "How was the bath?"

"I slipped and told them about the wedding. They all took it better than we expected," Mutsumi confessed. They had planned to do it jointly, but the alcohol made her tongue a little to loose. "Mad at me?"

Setting his glasses on the dresser, "Never. Actually I half expected it. Kanako had to have some indication too since she's letting use have her room tonight. She said she'd bunk down at Haruka's." Why she said she didn't want to be in the inn right now puzzled the ex-manager but he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Shedding her clothing with abandon, Mutsumi slide herself into the robe she used for sleeping. Catching the quick glance Keitaro had before turning away from her, Mutsumi chuckled at how bashful he still was. "Ara this isn't your room anymore is it," she said forlornly. "You ready for bed?" she asked out of necessity. Knowing Keitaro as she did, he wouldn't ever think of coupling in the dorm with the girls about. No she'd have to make this dream a reality herself.

Getting under the blankets and fluffing the pillows, "Yeah I am." Something about the room was different than when it was his. He couldn't put his finger on it, but the magic of the dorm was oddly vacant from the room now. _Guess it's not magic for me anymore. It's Kanako's and the girls that stayed behind. _Holding the blanket open for Mutsumi, he pulled her close after she got into the futon. "Did you talk to Naru?"

Facing him, Mutsumi nodded. "She joined us in the bath after we started our girl talk." Keitaro would have passed out if he knew just what they were talking about so that was a secret she'd keep. "I missed this place Kei-chan."

Grinning his dopy smile, "So did I. I had so many dreams and hopes while I lived here. But I'm glad that things are starting to get better around here." Laying his head heavily on the pillow he allowed himself a small reminiscence. Such lofty and unattainable goals he had set for himself when he first arrived in the dorm. He failed to meet some of them, but in failing learned that it wasn't the end of the world and in the process fell in love with Mutsumi.

"I have a dream about this place too Kei-chan," Mutsumi's voice lowed in tone making her husband lean in to hear him. "One you can help me achieve." Her hand slowly snaked its way down waiting for the question she knew was on Keitaro's lips.

True to form, Keitaro took the bait that was offered. "What is your dream Mu-chan?" He'd help her with anything she wanted. For all the good times she gave him, for all the bad times she suffered through to be with him. Keitaro gave himself freely to his wife. A compromise of existence, mutual beneficial to both.

In a deft display of skill, Mutsumi's hand shot through the band of Keitaro's pants and grabbed his deflated manhood with her hand through the hole of his boxers. "I always wanted to make love to you in this room." Kissing him before he could reply, her hand slowly stroked his rising member. Its heat engulfed her hand as she moved it back and forth. Breaking the kiss after she felt his penis grow to its full length, she said, "Will you help me with that dream?"

While he didn't have his wife's libido, Keitaro was never one to complain about it either. Part of the reason he so infrequently stressed any sexual desires was because all he had to do was wait and she'd come to him. Gulping down as he felt that soft hand so expertly massaging him, "We'll have to be quiet."

Tittering with delight, Mutsumi cast off the blanket and sat back up. "We can try Kei-chan, we can try." But if the other girls could hear, and they would be listening Mutsumi thought, let them enjoy the show. Extracting her hand from his pants, she moved her hand to the silk belt that held her robe closed and pulled it free. "Would you do the honors husband?"

Enjoying undressing Mutsumi as much as she enjoyed being undressed, Keitaro's calloused and rough hands moved to her shoulders and pealed the pink silk robe off exposing Mutsumi's nude glory for him to see. No pubic hair crested her maidenhood as she shaved it off to give Keitaro less trouble when he often tongue bathed her. "Beautiful as always," he stated for the countless time. Mutsumi must have been lovingly crafted by Aphrodite herself Keitaro believed.

Supple and pert breasts peaked with small dark brown nipples, the left having a birth mark. Her stomach was smooth and firm, and her rump was a lovely peach shape. "Thank you Kei-chan," Mutsumi whispered as her hands pulled gingerly at both his pants and boxer. Rolling them down just past his knees, Mutsumi's hand reclaimed the well worn tool. He wasn't the biggest man in the world but he was more than enough to satisfy her. "How would you like to take me?" she often asked but was often given the choice herself.

Laying back down, Keitaro took the initiative he so seldom did. "I think I'd like you on top Mu-chan." They seldom did it in that position, again cause Keitaro never wanted his wife to feel like he was demeaning her or soiling her. But today was different and even he could feel it.

With a nod, Mutsumi gave Keitaro's member a few more small pumps to insure it was gorged with blood before climbing on top of him. "Would my husband like to see me or shall I look away?" Oh how she loved these little games with him. While normally she was the dominant force, right now she gladly put herself at his mercy.

Moving his hands to her waist, Keitaro set her down on his lap facing him. "I want to see the woman I love do this…if it's her dream." It was hard for him to keep up this air of control, he was never one to force anybody to do anything. As her husband though, Keitaro knew his wife wanted him to be. _She likes it when I tell her what to do…I guess I should feel honored. _And he did.

Bending over, Mutsumi kissed Keitaro breaking character for just a moment but she couldn't help it. "If you so wish it," she sat up on her knees high enough to position Keitaro's member right in line with her maidenhood. "I love you Kei-chan," she murmured right as inched back down engulfing him fully. All the mental foreplay had done a great job at getting her moist enough to take him with no friction.

"Mu-chan…" he groaned as incased his member. Even after the many times they made love, it never lost its magic to him. Always felt powerful beyond words. Electricity running from her into him. When he once asked her about it, she said it was love that caused it. "Fan-tastic."

For her it was just as pleasant. Moving in small circles, her breasts popping up in small circles with each gyration, Mutsumi pushed down on Keitaro harder each time. "Kei-chan…your hips…please…" She wanted him in her deeper.

Taking the command, Keitaro started pumping his hips in sync with her cycles, his hands firmly on her waist just above the hip to make sure she didn't fall. "Mu..Mu-chan," he moaned again as she sped up.

"Kei-chan…mmmhh…more…" Mutsumi moaned loudly as a trickle of drool escaped her lips. Not only did she speed up but she pulled his member out further and pushed down harder, hands planted firmly on his chest. "Kei-chan…you're so…deep."

Her dew was already soaking into his crotch, and that made him feel better knowing she was getting into it. Pumping harder himself, "You're clenching me so tight Mu-chan."

"What is clenching you Kei-chan…what?" once her engine got started Mutsumi pulled all the stops. Dirty talk was just as good as the actual act at times. "Tell me Kei-kun…what is your dirty penis pounding into." She moaned again followed by a few whimpers as Keitaro pulled her down in time with his pumps now.

Feeling his body start to quiver, an early sign that things weren't going to last much longer. "You're pussy…you're wonderful pussy Mu-chan," he groaned out loudly as he felt her clenching around him tighter and tighter. _She's just about ready to go too._

Stopping her cycle of pumps, Mutsumi rested her maidenhood against Keitaro's body and started grinding against him. "Yes…you're dick…in my pussy…Kei-chan I'm burning!" Such a dirty mouth she had in the throws of passion, but on any other night only Keitaro knew it. In their respective rooms, the girls all listened and for that night imagined it was them with Keitaro. "I'm going to…I'm going to…"

He could feeling it growing in him from his legs up to his shoulders, Keitaro was at his limit. "Mu-chan I'm…guuh!" Not needing to pull out, Mutsumi was on the pill since neither wanted kids yet, Keitaro fired his essence deep into Mutsumi's womb.

"CUMMING!" Mutsumi finished for Keitaro as she herself climaxed and doused Keitaro in a mixture of their juices before collapsing on his chest. Not bothering to pull him out of her, Mutsumi just let the deflated member stay inside. "Kei-chan…wonderful as always," she said breathlessly before kissing his cheek.

Hugging her close, "You too my love." He held her until she giggled and rolled off him. "Mutsumi what's the matter?"

Looking down at her dirty body and Keitaro's dripping crotch. "I guess my other dream can come true as well." She stood up and put her robe back on while heading for the door. "Are you coming?"

"Where too?" he asked confused as he pulled his pants up and put his glasses back on. Part of his mind realized that they had been awfully loud towards the end and no doubt at least one person heard them.

Latching onto Keitaro's arm and pulling him to his feet, Mutsumi prodded him out of the bedroom. "To the onsen silly."

The End

X-X


End file.
